Agent Coulson The Babysitter
by Aitherrs
Summary: Agents Coulson, Barton and Romanov are assigned a babysitting duty of two exiles. But when Coulson begins to have feelings for the girl. He begins to feel that there is something she is hiding from him. COULSON/OC. Later becoming FANDRAL/OC. Rated M for later chapters. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

"Maebh" My brother's voice boomed through the lab bouncing off the walls, echoing throughout the entire building. I perched over the metal balcony. He was with three men and a woman. Mysterious figures, all in smart clothes, so clearly S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

"Yes?"

"They've brought a hulk into our lab" The news hit me right in the face, like someone had just slapped me solidly. How could Fury endanger the lives of so many scientists, so many of _his own_ men? My brother was already perched into his attack position. I jumped off the high balcony; any mortal would have probably died. But we are not mortals and I wasn't even like my brother any more. A genetic mutation, a laboratory experiment and I hated myself for it. I growled and bent down, took my glasses off and with one hand stopping me from falling on my face and the other ready to rip off the necessary items, I snarled at Director Fury.

"You brought a Hulk into MY LAB" I snarled at him. "If he gets angry for even a second, all of my hard work would be gone and the lives of the scientists, you neatly supplied me with as well." I stared at Banner. He seemed harmless, but I knew what he was capable of.

"I mean you no harm. I promise you I'm quite well controlled. I won't damage your lab. I respect – admire – the work you have been doing, especially in your _condition_." He soothed.

"Stand down" Fury ordered and I did, I trusted Fury and he trusted Dr. Banner, therefore, so I do. My brother, however, was less trustful. But he wouldn't attack unless I did. "You told me you were having issues with gamma radiation issues and so I brought you the best." I nodded in appreciation, Dr. Banner would be of great use.

"Thank you" I looked to the other three people – agents – who he had brought with him. "And them?" I pointed at the agents, but I dare not look. Every time I see an agent now, I just see the bodies of those my brother had killed, I could not let that happen again.

"They're here to protect you and escort you places, keep tabs on your work; that sort of thing." He spoke with authority and grace; I loved that about Director Fury. He took no shit from anybody. But I remember being told by Tony Stark to take care around him, he said _his secrets have secrets_. At the time I laughed and shrugged it off but his advice had stuck with me and nestled softly in the back of my mind.

"They're babysitters" My brother, Aedan, moaned and stood up. He never did like being treated like a security threat. "We've said it before, we don't need them"

"And I was willing to believe you until you killed a few of my agents." Fury snapped back at him. Aedan stormed off, back to testing the new weapons S.H.I.E.L.D had ordered.

"I'm sorry. He's a little, well, volatile" I joked, quickly lightening the atmosphere. I shrugged at Fury, he smirked.

"I know. I have met him before" Fury joked.

"Did you just make a joke Fury?" I slapped him on the shoulder and turned to the agents; they were expressionless. How boring. "It's better if two of you watch him, he's more dangerous than myself" With that, the female agent, with hair the colour of a British post box, and the male who looked a little lost and confused quickly raced after him. "Who exactly are those two? They don't seem like your normal agents?" Fury stood beside me watching them attempt to handle my brother. I shook my head. Handling my brother is like standing on the tip of a blade, push him too far and you fall. If he snaps, his fists will be the last things you see and experience – he can't help it he was brought up this way.

"Hawkeye and Black Widow. I'd appreciate it if you're brother didn't decapitate these two." His laugh was refreshing, you don't hear it often, and it was deep and echoed through the labs. It made me smile. His phone buzzed. "I need to go." His hand clasped onto my shoulder and pointed at me. "Behave" He ordered. I couldn't tell if he was serious. He sauntered away. His long black cloak whipped behind him in blustering wind from outside.

For a while I watched my brother gracefully glide around everybody and everything in attempt to impress the female – Black widow, his attempts were successful. In some ways, this annoyed the other, who skulked behind them closely watching the events unfold.

I turned to the remaining agent and smiled, which he returned. He seemed a little more serene now that Fury had gone, I couldn't tell whether this was respect for Fury or fear of him. Either would be perfect understandable.

"Come on, I have work to do" We walked for a little while, his eyes glancing over everything we walked by, a smirk slipped onto my face, his curiosity for everything was, well, curious. I grabbed his shoulder to reengage his attention, once I had it I signalled him up the steps. He clambered up the steps without a word; however, I found it easier to just jump up there. "So do you have a name?" The room I had taken him to was both my office and my bedroom. I didn't like to leave the lab. I slumped onto my bed. I played with my completed rubix cube, watching him scanning the room before he responded.

"Agent Coulson" He spoke with no emotion. I sighed and flopped into a pillow. I was going to have to start all over again to get him to loosen up. I hated this bit, the awkward beginning.

"We are all on a first name basis here. I'd appreciate it if you respected that" That wasn't actually true but I liked the look of him and I wanted to get to know him.

"Phil" He smiled.

"Hi Phil, I'm Maebh and the volatile one is Aedan. He's young, he doesn't really know what the consequences of his actions are." I paused "So, what exactly did Fury tell you about us?" I questioned. He moved over to me and sat on the corner of the bed. He looked uncomfortable and maybe a little out of place.

"Oh, um, not a lot really" He said "Just what you were working on here and why, your names and origin" He smirked.

"Origin?" I laughed.

"Yes. You're from Alfheim right?" He smiled. I smiled and looked at the floor.

"You don't have to make small talk with me, I'm used to the silence now" I have no idea why I just said that. I_ like_ talking to him.

"I'm, I'm sorry. I –"He murmured standing up quickly. I sighed.

"You did nothing wrong. Sorry, I'm awkward to be around" I shrugged. "Anyway, yes, I am from Alfheim. The place where the grass is not green and the sky is not blue, the place where rivers run backwards and gravity isn't an issue for anyone" I laughed and smiled weakly. I didn't think he'd notice.

"You miss it don't you?" He looked down at me, curiously. He was _very_ observant.

"Yes. More than anything" I got up and faced him, his eyes were mesmerising, not green but not brown either it was like the two colours had just merged together. His eyes were sunken. He was tired.

"Why don't you go back then?" He questioned.

"I can't. It's complicated. Plus, someone has to look after my brother" He laughed faintly. "Coulson, get some sleep, you look exhausted. I promise if I leave my desk I will let you know." I smiled.

"I can't, I'm on duty." He informed me.

"You are going to be on duty for a while and nothing is happening. I'm just doing paperwork. As I said I'll wake you if I need to go out for something. I promise." I soothed him. He wouldn't sleep without knowing nothing would happen. I slumped into the desk chair forgetting it rolls everywhere. I hate it. The desk chair annoys me; it rolls everywhere when you try to sit still. I prefer working on my bed but I think Coulson needs it more.

He rolled over and shut his eyes.

I watched my brother; I couldn't let him kill any more agents. But he seemed to get along fine with them. They kept a distance, the male more than the female. He was calm and respectful. It was new; he'd never been like this before. The rusty banister ripped my skin a little but I didn't really care. Every few minutes Coulson groaned, smiled and rolled over. He is the most intriguing sleeper. I couldn't help but respect the man, he just seemed so proper, like he had done so much for the country. Things I could never do.

But it also worried me that I would show him my true form and he would fear me. He would resent me. I see how people react when around Banner. I didn't want that with Coulson. I wanted him to trust me. Fury didn't tell him about my true form – my condition – why?

For a few days, Coulson and I sat in my room talking about things that had happened to us in the past, about my brother and Fury, about my true home and anything else either one of us was curious about. I noticed my brother's blind and uncontrollable rage a true concern and he watched him closely – I didn't like that. Only I could doubt my brothers' sanity. I didn't like it when other people joined in my wonderment.

I quickly grew attached to Coulson, his witty humour and sweet nature were a good mix and in causation led me to get close to him. I didn't like closeness, I was better off on my own. But something about Coulson fascinated me. I always wanted to know more and he liked my curiosity and talked willingly to me – on the premise that I continued to work and told Fury none of it.

* * *

_**Phil Coulson's P.O.V**_

I woke up to an empty room. Total silence. She lied to me. She said to me she wouldn't leave without telling me. I can't believe she lied. I jumped out of bed and looked over the banister. I couldn't see her anywhere. How could she do this? I fixed my tie which had loosened during my sleep and I groomed my shirt as best I could; however, it remained creased.

"Has anyone seen Maebh?" I bellowed down from the balcony, several sets of eyes peered up at me, it took me a while before I realised how desperate that must have sounded like a child who's desperate

"Relax she's watching the sun set outside."He brother pointed outside whilst Romanoff grinned sheepishly at him. That smile. What had it meant? I raced down the metal steps, the loud clanking noise of my shoe coming into contact with the metal step. She was sitting on the edge of the outdoor platform staring over to New York. I walked casually over to her; pretending I hadn't just run around like a lunatic searching for her. The sun was setting, turning the black abyss blocking the crossing from here to New York was lit up in the colourful light of the sun. It was beautiful, almost magical. She turned around and smiled. I sat next to her. My arm brushing up against her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She whispered to me but her eyes remained fixed on the sun. I smiled lightly. I didn't really feel comfortable with my feet dangling freely off the edge of a cliff but, somehow, when I'm around her, I just feel safe.

"I've seen things more beautiful than that" I stated smiling. She looked at me curiously.

"Like what?" She questioned.

"I always thought that when Jane and Thor saw each other again after the Avengers assembled for the first time was beautiful. It's like they're completely made for each other and it made me wonder if there is that one special person for everyone. When I say it out loud it sounds kind of stupid." I laughed. Why did I say that? That wasn't what I was thinking at all. I was thinking of her when I said that. I was thinking of her full beautiful lips planted on mine, her hand placed in mine, her smile and her laugh. Her skin gently rubbed over mine. Her skin is ice cold and rough but yet it was comforting and it sent chills down my spine.

"It's not stupid." She comforted me. We missed the sun going down – too deep in conversation to notice. The river was now a black abyss, it looked menacing and dangerous. We sat in silence for a moment just soaking up the silence, broken when she whispered into my ear "I should go back inside, there is some stuff I need to do" and with that she was gone. I sat alone for a moment, just thinking about her – I was falling in love which is so rare for me, I'm always too busy working.

"When Jane and Thor saw each other again?" A voice from the door mocked. I stood up quickly. "Is that really the best you could come up with?" It was Natasha. I looked at her, confused. There was a terribly awkward silence. "Oh?" She said, taken aback slightly. "You haven't realised yet?" She realised, her head tilted to the side slightly. Her hair fell all to one side and it flowed down softly over her shoulder. She grinned menacingly at me, she was taunting me, teasing me.

"Realised what?" I enquired.

"You are in love with her." She laughed. "Really didn't take long did it?" She smiled and walked back inside quickly.

That couldn't be right? Could it? I liked being around her, even though I had only known her a day. She was easy to talk to. She was sweet and calm. It was refreshing to be in the company of someone who doesn't lose control of their emotions every three seconds. Someone who seemed caring. She was just nice to be around. That was all. I couldn't possibly have feelings for her. I knew deep down that what she was saying was true but loving her would be so complicated. She's not even human, I hardly know her and she's extremely complicated and so is my work. There are so many reasons for me not to love her but for some reason I can't help but think of her.

_**Maebh's P.O.V**_

"I always thought that when Jane and Thor saw each other again after the Avengers assembled for the first time was beautiful. It's like they're completely made for each other and it made me wonder if there is that one special person for everyone. When I say it out loud it sounds kind of stupid." He laughed a little, it was sweet and short. Nothing over the top or awkward; it made me smile a little but not smiling to be polite, it was a genuine smile. Had he purposely sat so close to me?

"It's not stupid." I reassured him, rubbing my hand softly against his hand. His skin was really warm, probably the average human temperature. The silence was bliss. I liked being around Coulson the silence wasn't awkward. I savoured it. "I should go back inside, there is some stuff I need to do." I whispered to him and quickly walked away.

I wonder how long Agent Romanoff had been standing in the doorway. I jumped up to my work space. Agent Barton. I fell back over the banister, I clutched on, my legs smashed into the side, I gasped out in pain. I could feel my hands bleeding the now, the metal coarsely rubbed against my skin; I could feel it ripping off my skin. He grabbed my arm and dragged me back over the banister. I fell to the floor laughing dragging him down with me. He laughed a little. "That's the most fun I've had all week" I joked. He smiled. We lay side by side for minute just laughing slightly.

"Oh. You're bleeding" He grabbed a cloth and returned to me. I pushed the cloth away and shook my head.

"You're lucky!" I proclaimed, his facial expression changed suddenly, a mixture of anxiety and confusion hung from his brow. "You get to see my party trick." I licked my fingers and put my spit over my cut. It healed over quickly, I watched my skin entangle and fix its way back over to one another, and it tingled. He looked shocked. "See? All better." I stood up and rearranged my t-shirt as it had fallen and was revealing parts of me that he shouldn't have seen. "So, what can I do for you Agent Barton?" I asked quickly changing the subject.

"I just wanted to warn you" He looked serious again. Did his emotions always change so quickly?

"Of...?" I motioned my hands for him to continue. He jumped up and perched on the banister. Perfect balance; like he was a hawk or something.

"Coulson is great and sweet and a great bloke." He started, he was watching my brother intently whilst talking to me. "But his work will always come first to him." I laughed and shook my head.

"Thanks for the warning" I saluted him and he jumped. I laughed again. What could he have possibly meant by that? Nothing was going on between me and Phil. He was just good company; Refreshing after having to deal with my brother 24/7. But he has his baby sitters now and I have a new found freedom. Freedom. I like that.


	2. Chapter 2

"Coulson." He span around speedily with a bright beaming grin on his face. "Banner and I need to go to Stark Tower" I stated quickly and Coulson's face dropped, almost being dragged out of the door by Banner. He seemed maybe a little too excited to see Stark. In my opinion, Stark is a little self – obsessed and he annoys me a little too much. Coulson told me that was why he wasn't one of the original Avengers, he told me he was '_Volatile, Self- Obsessed and doesn't play well with others_' and if I'm honest this is 100% believable.

"Come on! We have to go" Bruce spoke quickly staring at the door. Coulson's face was lost in thought I could tell – but a certain pain and resentment lingered in his eyes, I knew he didn't like Stark but I couldn't understand why he hated him so much.

"What's the matter?" I questioned him, he sighed. When he was brought back to reality, the thought grew smaller and weaker in his eyes.

"Nothing, but does it have to be _Tony Stark_?"He sounded almost desperate; as if that was the last place he really wanted to go. I saw my brother out of the corner of my eye, his blood was in a vile in front of him, Clint and Natasha watched him eagerly. However, my brother's interest rested solely on me and Coulson - Never before had I been so close to an agent who had to "protect" us.

"Yes, yes it does." Bruce informed him, putting his hand on his shoulder. It looked as if Bruce understood his pain. I hadn't been involved in the Avengers nor had I met any of them before Bruce but something about Stark really bothered Coulson. It took a while but Phil complied with our request and like that we were gone.

* * *

As we left the car, I grabbed Phil's hand and hauled him back. He held my hand for a second before realising that wasn't in fact my intention. I blushed for a moment. I like that he _wanted_ to hold my hand. I felt my heart throb for a minute, I wanted to hold his hand but we couldn't, for one, I hardly knew him and now really wasn't the time or the place.

"If you don't want to go in; we can go somewhere else and let Bruce handle Stark. I'm not his exactly his biggest fan anyway." I looked at him, waiting, hoping for a response. "I really don't mind seriously." I appeased when he gave no immediate response.

"If you need to go in then I can deal with Stark. It's my job to deal with Stark." He informed me, no emotion and no attitude. Seeing he like this scared me a little, it was the formal side, the agent side which I hadn't seen up until now; he had been sweet and affectionate towards me in the labs and I had grown to love that about him so much.

"Bruce!" I shouted. He turned his head around to look at us. "Call us when you're done in there" He nodded. I turned back to Coulson. "Every agent; even the tough Agent Coulson, the hero deserves a break." I leant forward and whispered in his ear and he shut his eyes and breathed heavily as I did it. I liked that I had that affect on him. It was nice to see he was slowly turning into the man I first met, the man who watched the sun go down with me only a few nights ago, the man who made the butterflies swirl around my stomach, the man who made me a feel a little dizzy every time he smiled at me. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down the street.

"Where are we going?" He questioned a hint of alarm in his voice but he didn't fight it, he ran with me, his hand in mine. I laughed. He trusted me enough to let me drag him though the streets of New York. I pushed my way through the bustling and frenzied streets.

"Just shut up and trust me" I said to him. Smiling like a giddy school girl we ran down several streets, my legs began to ache, I could tell he could run faster than this but he didn't because he had literally no idea where they were going. His hand fell out of mine as I slowed down. I shoved my hands into my pockets. I slowed down and halted after running a few blocks.

"Where are we?" He asked me, he turned to face, his hand brushed against mine, this time I knew it was done on purpose. I felt his fingers intertwine in mine, his thumb rubbing my hand gently.

"Ever since I ended up here, I always end up at this restaurant. It's the only place in all of New York I felt safe." I explained. "I don't know why but when I need to get away from everything and everyone, including my brother, I come to this restaurant. I know it sounds crazy but –"He put his hand on my face, I closed my eyes, his skin felt so soft on my face. His thumb ran along my chin. I was so desperate to lean in and kiss him, kiss him so passionately, not pulling away until I had to.

"It's not crazy" He smiled as he stared ardently into my eyes. His lips graced mine.

I had been told about the feeling of a perfect first kiss. How it feels like it lasts a life time and how it makes your stomach tie itself it knots. I threw one hand around his neck and the other through his hair. I felt his hand slip behind my back, pulling me in closer to him, our bodies touching as we stood in cold busy street. He pulled back and smiled, he brushed his fingers against my cheek again.

"Okay, at least tell me that you thought that was crazy" I asked him smiling. He laughed, it was more of a short scoff but it was still a sweet laugh.

"No it wasn't, not at all." He held his hand out and instantly I took it. "Are we going inside or did you intend on gawping at it and then leaving?" He smirked cheekily at me. I shook my head and laughed. I dragged him inside and we headed straight to the back and sat in the corner. Our legs were tangled around each other's under the table.

"Another reason I like this place, is no one disturbs anyone, it's filled with writers and poets who don't bother each other" A waitress came over with two cups of coffee with a plate of chocolate cookies.

As Phil went to get money from his pocket, she put her hand on his shoulder and informed him "It's on me." She smiled lightly placing the tray down on the table. "I didn't expect to see you this week" Said she. I smiled lightly.

"I wasn't supposed to, I have a lot to do but I had some spare time."I looked from her to Coulson, I could feel my cheeks burning up and my heart pounded faster and faster. She smiled and bit her lip lightly; she could tell I liked him. My cheeks flushed She quickly walked away. But I could see her watching us from the coffee counter.

"So" He started but he looked like he was finding it difficult to speak. "Do you write poetry or something?" He smirked at me.

"Occasionally." I leant back into the chair. "But none of it is good, so don't you dare ask to read it. It just helps me to unload all the anger and hate or the opposite.

_Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,_

_When evils are most free? O then, by day_

_Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough_

_To mask thy monstrous visage?" _I traced the rim of the coffee cup as I spoke.

"You wrote that?" He questioned, bending his head down to try and grab my attention, to catch my gaze but I just wouldn't look up.

"No." I laughed and shook my head. "That's from Julius Caeser by Shakespeare. It's my favourite play." I shrugged it off, pretending I hadn't just told him something that not many people know about me – not even my brother knows that I like to read plays and write poetry.

"Aaah." He replied. "I don't know much about Shakespeare, never really had the time." He explained, I nodded in agreement. "So, tell me about how you and your brother ended up here" He asked me, he was on guard, he knew it was a difficult topic. I shook my head; the rim of the coffee cup was hot. It burnt my skin a little. "Please?" He placed his hand on top of mine.

How do I go about telling him without revealing my secret?

"My brother, uh, as you've seen has a nasty temper and when he found out my younger brother who is younger than he, was going to inherit the throne, he went on a rampage, his vision blurred and tainted with uncontrollable rage. He killed 27 guardsmen and 12 civilians that evening. It took a further 4 soldiers to restrain him. My father, Frey, banished him, similar to what happened to Thor. I stood up for him but there was nothing to be done." I paused for a second to let him take in that side of the story. "My banishment is a little bit of a different story but has a very similar ending. I always felt that even though I had accomplished so much in my life my father always favoured my brother to me. I always felt belittled and unwanted. So I let the scientists experiment on me, in an attempt to make myself stronger and better suited to what my father wanted of his children. In short, it went wrong in some ways and well in others. I don't have blood within my body. I have thallium, the metal and it means I can heal myself instantly. But I destroyed the lab and killed the scientists and was banished" His jaw dropped a little. "But it wasn't intentional and I have always hated myself for it. I lived in shame on this planet for a couple of years. Nick Fury obviously found us but he was a lot younger and had, um, two eyes." He laughed. "He took us in, taught us about Earth and set us up in that lab."

"I wondered how you knew everything about our lifestyle" He joked. I smiled. I _still_ hadn't told him.

"So what about you?" I changed the subject off my history – still don't really like talking about it. "How did you get recruited for the infamous S.H.I.E.L.D?" I fiddled with my thumbs nervously.

"My dad died when I was young, which led to my mum becoming an addict, so I was sent to an orphanage." He paused, his mind wandered, his past was obviously as troublesome to him as mine was to me. "They chose me because I was a lonely child and no one would miss me if I was gone." He shrugged like it didn't even matter to him anymore. "The past is the past." I placed my hand on top of his, I felt his hand turn and hold mine; he moved a small piece of hair off of my face and placed it behind my ear. I rested my head upon his hand, a feeling of contentment and tranquillity consumed me entirely, although it only lasted a moment.

My phone began to vibrate and The Killers – Mr Brightside blasted through the cafe, everybody's eyes looked up and focused on me. I blushed. I scrambled around my bag, looking for my phone, trying to put an end to the torture of the eyes glaring at me.

"Yes?" I answered my phone. "Oh hey Bruce! You're, you're done? Oh okay, give us five minutes and we'll meet you." I smiled apologetically at Phil which he returned and with that, the most perfect afternoon was over.


	3. Chapter 3

I got up in the early hours of the morning just as the sun was coming up. The sky was reddened and the stars began to fade. Phil was lying on the floor on a mattress, I had offered him half of my bed but he had turned me down last night – always the gentleman. He had his arms wrapped tightly around one of the fluffy pillows and his leg hung off the side. But before I got to the door he called out my name.

"Not running off again are we?" He murmured as he rubbed his eyes, squinting as the bright lights burnt his eyes. I flipped onto his bed beside him, his body jumped in reaction when I hit the mattress. I placed my hand on his face as he smiled amiably at me, my thumb rubbing against his coarse skin. He had small black rims under his eyes – he hadn't had a lot of sleep, he always wakes up screaming and shaking. I watched him suffer almost every night but he swears there is nothing that can be done.

"I'm not." I promised him with a succouring smile. "I'm going skim boarding." I informed him, as I shot up showing him my board which had been neatly hidden behind my desk. I love skim boarding – I love the way it feels to glide carelessly across the water, I love how it feels when the water splashes up against me. He was obviously not accustomed to early mornings. He clambered to his feet using the wall for support.

"Well, I have to go with you." He informed me. His was wearing captain America pyjama bottoms but no top, I didn't realise that he was so muscular; his muscles were evident which to me made him even more attractive than he had been before.

"It's just the beach down there." I moaned. "I'll be fine." As I headed for the door, he grabbed my hand pulling me back to him, our bodies now touching. His hand ran through my hair and softly down my back, making my spine tingle, I shivered in his arms as a cold blast of air hit me.

"Do you not want to spend time with me?" He teased, as he placed his forehead against mine. I informed him that I have never said such a thing. "No but whether you want me to or not, I have to go with you. Fury's orders." He grinned sheepishly as ran his finger gingerly down my cheek.

After a while, we wandered down to the beach with his arm wrapped around my waist keeping me close to him, I rested my head softly on his shoulder. The waves were thrashing against the rocks creating the perfect atmosphere for skim boarding.

My first move was to show him how to do it; I glided elegantly across the water. I had done this so many times before but this time I was looking to impress. The wind lashed across my body, I was frozen. The water flicked up at me in reaction to my board – the water slid down my body or grasped onto my t-shirt but the sea salt clung to my bare skin. Occasionally I glanced over at Phil, he watched with a small smile on his face, his gun was in front of him – ready, as always.

"Do you want to try?" I asked him as I skidded up the sand towards him, the cold dry sand slid between my toes sticking to my wet feet. I slipped onto the ground beside him giggling. I slipped my fingers through mine as I stared up into the dawning sky, the stars began to fade and the moon glistened but slowly began to disappear.

"I have no idea how to do it." He confessed as he loomed over me smiling.

"That's what makes it fun – no one knows how to do it." I laughed as I tightened my grip around his hand and pulled him down the beach. I handed him my board. "Just throw it and jump on it. It's really that simple." I instructed as I shrugged simply, I ran down the beach a little so I could watch. I watched him closely, spectacularly he landed on the board and headed towards me.

But as quickly as he got on, he fell off smashing into me dragging me down with him. We lay in the wet sand, our bodies touching; he rested on top of my laughing. I felt his heart beat into my chest. I pushed him off laughing. "Okay, maybe it's not so simple." I joked, clambering to my feet and he quickly joined me. He told me that he didn't think it was. He leaned in and kissed me gently but something about this kiss was different; it was so much deeper and so much more passionate than any other. I felt his grip tighten around my back, his fingers digging into my back. I never wanted to pull away, an eternal kiss. I just wanted it to be me and him.

His hand slid down my back, he pulled me up to him so that we were level. My legs wrapped around his waist, I could feel the strain of him beneath me. He lay me down on the towel remaining on top of me, still kissing me. He was so eager and so passionate now, his body on top of mine, no spaces left between us. He fumbled with my wet t-shirt as he attempted to pull it off me; I smiled as he kissed me and violently pealed my t-shirt from my skin. I glided my hands down so they were on his; I guided him with my t-shirt, he threw it to the side, onto the sand. He lay me back down, placing my hands above my head, holding me lightly by my wrists, he smiled cheekily at me for a moment as I gazed longingly into his eyes.

"Agent Coulson!" A voice from the distance interrupted. "Agent Coulson!" They called again; he sighed and stood up adjusting his t-shirt. I hadn't seen him in casual clothing before now; it had always been a black suit and sunglasses up until this morning. He had left me alone, again, without saying another word. I felt like this should've made me angry at him but just thinking about him makes me smile. It's almost impossible for me to hate him.

The clear blue sky hid behind it's morning enemy. The sky tainted in red and anguish killed off each star one by one, ripping them from the sky and replacing them with empty space.

* * *

Bruce and I were going over some papers; our laboratory was a little behind those of S.H.I.E.L.D or Stark Industries, so we still have to fumble around with papers and folders. We lay on my bed with papers sprawled around us.

"We must be missing something!" He exclaimed as he rolled onto his back, so close to falling off the bed. He stared at my ceiling, I watched him closely, the more we worked the further away the answer seemed to be. He groaned and accidently whacked his head on the bed frame. "Ow." He moaned, clasping the side of his head. I laughed stridently at his pain.

A knock came at the door, short and slow, three knocks; _tap, tap, tap_. In response, Bruce fell off the bed in shock. Coulson stood awkwardly at the door, shuffling his foot. Bruce scrabbled to his feet and slid past Coulson out the door. Does nobody say goodbye anymore?

"I'm sorry" he mumbled to me from the doorway. "About earlier, I shouldn't have just got up and left you there."  
"No." I said passively to him. "No, you shouldn't have." I played nervously with my fingers as I sat up on my bed. If I look at him, I will forgive him too easily. His warm breath suddenly slid over the hairs on my neck.

"I'm so used to just doing as I'm told. I don't normally have to consider other people. I realised as soon as I left the mistake I had made. I'm new to this whole work and relationship thing." He slipped his fingers under mine.

"Same." I laughed as I looked up at him. He had changed into his customary black suit and white shirt. He wore his glasses casually even though it wasn't particularly bright in here or the rest of the lab. "It's fine really. I'm not even mad at you. You did what you had to do." I assured him as I tried to make my tone sweet and girly.

"I have some errands to go run. Do you need anything?" He questioned as he headed to the door sharply. I shook my head but before he left I asked him to send Bruce back up. He smiled and complied.

Hawkeye had been right - his job really did come first.


	4. Chapter 4

**Added a little bit to the end – if you have already read this before – if not, carry on.**

"I've done it!" Banner announced barging into my office causing me to fall off my chair in shock dragging papers and pens along with me. I scrambled around trying to pick them up. I picked up my glasses and stared at him curiously.

"Great!" I exclaimed. "That's great!" I opened my mouth to speak again but truthfully, I had no idea what he was talking about. "Done what? Exactly?" He smiled.

"I can reverse your..." He paused and winced. "Condition." That's great? I don't know. If what he said was true, then I could go home, to Alfheim, to my father, to my mother and brother. I could feel like I belong again.

But if I go now, I will never know what could have possibly happened between Phil and me. He's been in my head ever since that kiss, that perfect kiss, two weeks ago, we've talked since then but we haven't really been alone and if I leave now, I won't be coming back. If I go, I'll never get to see him, to hold his hand, to kiss him, to fall in love with him.

"Oh!" I could have sounded a little more enthusiastic. "I have to think about this." I told him standing up. He paced over to me, placing his hand gently on my shoulder, I looked up at him.

"What is there to think about?" He licked his lips and carried on speaking. "You and me, we don't fit in anywhere. We're feared by all who come near us. I can't reverse my condition but _you can_. You have the chance to be normal and you should take it."

"If I take this now; I have to reason to stay here and my father will take me home. Whether I want to go or not. If I take this now, I won't see my brother or you or..." Coulson. God, he's making this so difficult for me. If I had never met Coulson, I would take this cure, the chance for normality in a heartbeat. But I want to explore what I have with Phil. He makes me feel normal. He makes me feel like I belong here. "Coulson or anyone." My case was sound and evened out the scales but I knew he still believed I should take it.

"May—maybe you should talk to Phil. I'll keep this ready in case you decide to go" He turned and skulked out. I watched him go from my balcony. I saw him shrug his shoulders casually at my brother and sit on a chair. He stared up to the roof and sighed deeply. I know, he thinks I'm crazy.

Maybe I should take it. Coulson doesn't know the full story and if he did, maybe he wouldn't accept me. He doesn't know the truth. Maybe I need to forget about everything and go _home_. I don't think Alfheim is my home anymore or at least, it doesn't feel like it is.

I saw Coulson standing outside staring up to me grinning. I'd been so wrapped up in my thoughts about Coulson, I hadn't actually noticed Coulson. I jumped down casually, who needs steps, and walked over to him smiling.

"I got you a hot chocolate; the best hot chocolate in New York." He stated whilst holding out a mug. I forced a smile but he knew it was a lie, a mask even; his face dropped. "What's wrong?"

"Bruce has found a cure for my condition" He grinned madly at me, I couldn't help my laugh softly. He was so dopey sometimes, it was so cute.

"That's fantastic. That's incredible. Wow. I thought you were going to say something terr—" He caught sight of me wincing. "It's good isn't it?" he exclaimed and pulled me into him, his warm coffee heated up my back a little. The stench of coffee slithered up my nose. I pulled back and placed the coffee on the side. I sighed, gathering up the courage to talk to him, I turned around and looked into his eyes.

"If I take this, my father will undoubtedly come a get me, take me back to Alfheim and I'll never see my brother or you again. That will be it." I explained. He took a step back, he understood now, he knew, I had to choose between him and home.

"You should go" He sighed, entangling his fingers around mine. "Go home, be normal and be happy." His words cut right through me, it felt like a slap in the face. Didn't I mean anything to him?

"You think?" I tried to hide my pain. He smiled lightly at me, pulling me in close one more time.

He whispered something into my ear, a single word, which hurt me more than anything anyone had ever said to me. He said yes. My eyes began to burn, I could myself beginning to cry, I pulled out of the hug and ran, ran back up to my bed, the only place I felt safe. On my bed, I crawled into a ball, hugging my legs tightly and cried.

I'm going home.

_**Phil's P.O.V**_

She ran away? Crying? What had I done? What had I said? I didn't understand. I could feel her pain but I don't understand it. It was good she was going home. Wasn't it? Once again Natasha was skulking in the corner, listening in to our conversation. She sighed.

"Why are men always so clueless?" She spoke, walking slowly towards me with her hands in her pockets. "You still don't get it do you?" She smiled, an evil twisted smiled. I shook my head madly at her.

"What did I say?"

"She wants what any girl wants. She wants you to fight for her. She wants to be with you. Isn't that obvious." She paused; I had nothing to say. No dignified response. "Oh for God's sake; she loves you and you quite clearly love her. If she goes home, she cannot come back; you'll never see her again. So do yourself a favour and fight for her. She just wants you to tell her to stay. You say that and she _will _stay." She explained.

"Thanks." I had already turned and began to run towards her office – bedroom? – Office thing, so I don't think she heard. My heart was pounding, my palms were sweating, it made it hard to grip to the metal rails on the stairs. I could hear my feet clunking up the steps breaking the total silence that the lab was filled with.

That's when I saw it and it broke my heart. She was in a ball crying, bawling her eyes out, she felt alone and what was worse; _I had made her like this. _

"Don't go. Don't do it." I panted from the doorway. No exactly romantic, she looked up at me snivelling, her eyes red and wet. Actually that look was worse. My heart was already broken but now it felt like someone with giant feet was stomping and jumping all over it.

"W—what?" She stuttered.

"Don't go." I repeated. I begged. "I love you, don't go. I thought you wanted to go. But know I can see you don't want to. I didn't think you felt about me the way I feel about you. I'm crazy about you. Please don't go. I want to explore us." I could see the light in her eyes returning, she smiled a little. I continued. "I was such an ass outside; I didn't mean any of it. I'm sorry. Forgive me? I want you here, with me. I want to wake up to you every morning, I want to fall asleep with you in my arms, I want to protect and love you. I don't want this to end. To be honest, we've kissed once and I already know I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."I could feel myself choking up, if she didn't say something soon, I would actually start crying. I was still panting, she crawled off the bed and hugged me, I closed my eyes and held her tight. Our second kiss was as perfect as the first. But she had started this kiss, our bodies touching, her hand on my face, her breath on my cheeks, I pulled back, I wanted it to be perfect and it was. If only all our kisses could be as perfect as that. She smiled but another tear fell from her eye. I brushed it away with my thumb, leaving my hand gently on her face, looking into her eyes. "What's wrong, you're still crying?" She laughed.

"Nothing is wrong." She pulled me into her. Her lips touched my ear. "I'm happy." I held her in my arms, he hair brushing against my cheek; a tear slipped down my cheek slowly, leaving a trail and fell onto her shoulder. She was happy. I was happy. Everything would be okay.

* * *

I sat in the sand with my head planted softly on his rigid welcoming shoulder. His arms wrapped around my waist. Every night for the past week we have come outside to watch the sun go down – just like the night I realised I was first in love with him.

Every night the sun beamed brighter and the night sky was even more beautiful. It was the only time in the day when everything was tranquil and the only time we were alone.

"Maebh." He whispered softly into my ear interrupting my train of thought. "What aren't you telling me?" He questioned me. Oh god. I knew he would figure that something was wrong with me, something beyond what I had already told him. I could feel his eyes piercing my skin as he waited for a response.

"What do you mean?" I asked acting the innocent. There is no way I can tell him or even worse, there is no way I could possibly _show_ him.

"You always run from the stressing situations or the arguments and I know that's not in your personality and I only know one other person who does that – Bruce." I felt my hand clench into an extremely tight fist on his knee. Was he calling me a monster? I felt a tear form in my eye, I fought them back with all my power. But it was a battle I knew I would lose - A lost cause.

"Nothing." I mumbled getting up. I dug my hands into the pockets of my leather jacket and huffed off down the beach. "Nothings wrong." I muttered to myself as I skulked down the beach. I left him sitting there alone, on the beach.

When I got to the very edge of the beach, I reached a block wall of rocks guarding the river before New York. Why did everything always have to be so complicated? I stared up into the night sky.


	5. Chapter 5

"What do you mean you're not taking the cure?" My brothers voice boomed through the lab, everybody grasped onto silence, an eerie, awkward silence. I could see – feel – his body clenching up. Not good.

"I don't want to go back. I like it here." I tried to stay calm but I knew this was quickly getting out of hand. If Phil was going to learn the truth about me, it was going to be now. I leant down, attack position. "Don't do this." I begged him. I looked up into his eyes. I could see the hurt in his eyes; I was choosing Phil over him. Over his happiness.  
"It's him isn't it?" He snarled at Coulson. "He's a puny mortal, nothing compared to the men of Alfheim. What would you want with _him_?" He roared. His smile was menacing and dark, his teeth glimmered under the burning lights of the lab. I know he's normally quite volatile but this wasn't my brother that I'd spent so much time with lately, this was the brother who had brutally murdered so many on Alfheim, the man who killed because it brought him peace; the man who was feared back home. Phil's hand was placed firmly on his gun but I knew that, that wouldn't stop my brother. It had gotten to serious for that. I snarled.

"He's worth ten times those men" My brother roared at Coulson in an attempt to scare him.

"You could have convinced father to bring me home as well!" He was almost begging me. He so desperately wanted to go home but I knew father would never take him back. "But you're so consumed in lust, that you're not thinking about others are you. It's all about your precious Coulson. It's a fantasy. He doesn't even know the real you. Do you?" He shot a menacing look at Phil, he looked to me, I could feel his eyes on me but I couldn't face him.

"Brother, please, it doesn't have to happen this way." I pleaded with him. Coulson wouldn't accept me, I would lose control and kill, like it was a sport, a game, my brother was the only one who had ever truly accepted my mutation; what the doctors had made me into. He'd got me and he knew it, he'd caught my weak spot.

"I wonder how he'd feel if he knew. I don't think he would feel the same way. Do you?"

It shot through my skin, I felt myself changing, I could feel my bones mutating, my personality was gone, all that was left was pure anger and rage, uncontrollable, unstoppable. He made a jump at Coulson but I hit him first, throwing him violently into tanks of hydrogen.

My skin began to peel, I helped it, I revealed my true self. My inner self; my monster. I snarled at my brother. My claws, dug into the hard concrete floor. He let out a menacing laugh. My fur bulged out and my teeth glimmered.

"What do you think Coulson?" He threw his arms into the air, he was showing me off. "My sister." He snarled. "In all her –"He leant in close to me. "Glory." I stood up fully, I was twice the size of my brothers, I could see the fear in his eyes, true fear, he knew I'd hurt him. He knew I was stronger. His grin faded. I jumped at him violently, quickly; he was unable to stop me. I felt my teeth gauging into his skin, he screamed in agony, I ripped out his collar bone and all the muscle surrounded it. I wanted to continue, I wanted to rip him to pieces, I wanted to destroy any trace of him. He'd destroyed everything for me. I could feel my monster taking complete control, once it had control, there was no stopping it, I would kill anyone I came into contact with. My eyes were clouded in red. I could hear my brother screaming out in agony, my paw holding him down, covering most of his body. I wanted to bite him again. I wanted to hurt him like he'd hurt me.

"Maebh" His soothing voice called my name. "I know it's you. Please, stop this. This, this isn't you." I looked into his eyes, he feared me, his gun pointed directly at me. I knew he'd fear me; he treats me like everyone else treats me. I'm a monster; a laboratory experiment. Agents Barton and Romanoff took a few steps backwards, I was no longer the scientist to them, I was the enemy, the target. I hated that. Coulson; feared me. My brother; dying. Bruce Banner gawped at me; trying to get a better look but Barton was pushing him back with all his strength. I knew Banner didn't fear me, he understood me. What I had become.

I howled, throwing my head back into the sky, galloping out of the lab, I wasn't sure where I was running, I needed to hide, to change back, I needed to go home. I ran for the hidden cave just beneath the lab. It was damp and warm but it worked as a good hide out. The moon was full and shining in the midnight sky, outshining the stars; a full moon, a little ironic don't you think?

I was me again. Not the monster, my other form; the "normal" form. I was completely bare. I headed to the back of the cave, I had a bag of supplies, clothes, food, books, money, I had to get the treatment and run. Run as far away as I could, just keep running; forever. I got dressed and sat against a rock, my knees tucked in, one hand in another, rocking gently. It was soothing. I could hear everything they were saying. Fury had arrived. Of course. Coulson screamed at him. Demanding answers.

"It was still her; I could see it in her eyes." He shouted at Fury. He still thought it was me. "She was defending us, her brother would have killed us. She did what she thought was best."

"She seriously injured one of our staff, violating the terms of our agreement." Fury's anger with me was perfectly clear.

"Her brother has killed so many before! Did you hunt him down? NO!" He fought back for me. The floor above creaked as he moved closer to Fury.

"He's not as much of a threat as him." Fury's tone had changed, he was calm and collected, like he knew something Coulson didn't.

"She's not a threat" Coulson pleaded with him, trying to make him see reason but Fury was blinded by his own arrogance and conceit.

"No Coulson. I know you cared for the girl. I understand you want it to be her. But when she changed, it's not her. It's a monster and we need to track it down. Fast. She's probably covered some distance by now. Headed for the forests. We need to get going." Fury ordered. But he changed his mind. "You stay here. In case she comes back."

It was totally silent. They'd all gone. All of them. Hunting a monster. _A monster_. I'm not a monster. I heard footsteps above me. It was Coulson.

"Oh Maebh. Where are you. I pray you're safe. Keep hidden. Keep safe." He sighed. He didn't love me. How could he love a monster like me. I sat and waited for a while, for a sound or a voice; nothing. I decided to make my exit. I had a bike in the garage. I would get passed Coulson, get on it and just drive and just keep driving. I threw my back over my shoulder. I clambered up the rocks quickly. I was bare foot, I hadn't packed shoes. Why didn't I pack shoes? I always forget to pack shoes. I searched around for Coulson.

He was nowhere to be seen. I grabbed my note pad out of my bag and left him a note on the door.

I made a dash across the concrete and through the light and when I reached the other side, I dared a look inside. I could see my brothers blood spread across the wall. Then I saw him. He was in my room looking at my pictures; he had a tear in his eye. I could feel my heart breaking. If I stayed Fury would surely imprison me. I had to go. I got into the garage and I mounted the bike and I went and I didn't look back.

* * *

**Phil's P.O.V**

I wiped the tears from my eyes as I walked down the stairs and out of the door. I noticed a small slip of paper out of the corner of my eye, I tore it from the wall. It read:

_Dear Phil,_

_I'm sorry. Stay safe._

_Maebh. Xxx_

I fear I have lost her forever now, she knew Fury was hunting her. She knew. But to me she isn't and never will be a monster, she did what she had to. She protected me and everyone else in that lab. I will never be able to hate her but I just want her to come back to me and I won't stop searching for her until she is here with me on the beach laying in my arms, I missed listening to her talking passionately about the stars, I missed listening to her laughing, I missed her hand intertwined within mine. _I missed her_.

* * *

**Maebh's P.O.V **

The simple thing to do now was to not go back – to keep travelling and moving. Not to get attached to anyone and definitely not to fall in love again. I covered hundreds of miles every day – but only because I love this feeling. Not knowing where I am going, not having a care in the world and being free. The journey was always important to me, the feeling of the hot tarmac beneath me, the wind fighting with my leather jacket.

It's even better when it rains.

The rain seeps through your jacket but the wind dries up. It's an odd sensation and it's a rare one in this part of America. I like looking up into the sky when it rains having it bounce onto your cheeks.

I rode up to a cafe after a while and parked myself by a window so I could aimlessly watch the rain whilst getting warm. Being left alone with my thoughts for long periods of time is never good, my thoughts always drift back to him. The way he looked when I ripped into my brother, when I ran off. He was crying over me – our love was just a great lie. He could never love a monster like me.

"Need some company babe." The man's face was covered by a black hood which shadowed his face but his teeth shined brightly. He slid casually in next to me, placing his hand on my knee.

"No thank you." I spat at him, sliding a little further down the booth. He followed me around. He slid his hand up my leg and placed it on my waist. I grabbed his hand and flipped him onto his face, his slammed into the table, I used my other hand to hold his face into the table. I punched him once – very quickly. "I said no thank you." I whispered sweetly to him, before stalking out of the cafe, throwing a few dollars down for the coffee.

I knew I shouldn't but I had to go back.

* * *

**Phil's P.O.V**

I haven't seen her in six weeks. They haven't tracked her down. It's like she just vanished, along with my heart. It felt like she hadn't cared enough to even say goodbye. They didn't believe me but even after she had changed I still saw her, it was in her eyes, she didn't want to do it, and she was consumed by rage. It reminded me of Bruce, the only difference being he always came back. I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder. It was Banner. I stood out on the terrace of the lab every night, in hope that she would return and every night I fell asleep in her bed. I felt so desperate, I wanted to hold her but she had abandoned me.

Once again I fell asleep in her bed and I dreamt of her.

In the morning I was awoken by Bruce handing me a letter. He had a huge grin on his face; it was little frightening actually. Without saying anything, he left the room, shutting the door behind it. It was from her.

_Dear __Phil __Agent Coulson, _

_I understand if you do not wish to speak to me. I still love you. That will not change. But this will not simply go back to the way it used to be and it is too late for me to see shelter from Fury. If you want to see me, go onto the beach at 12 am and look into the cave. I'll be there. Make sure you were not followed. _

_Yours forever,_

_Maebh _

I glanced at my watch, it was 11:57a.m. I raced out and jumped down the steps when my legs could no longer keep up with the speed. I slipped down the last two.

_She was here. She was really here_, I thought to myself cheerily.

"Where are you going?" Fury shouted towards me stopping me in my tracks. I turned and smiled casually, I hadn't left Maebh's room in the day time for weeks, he knew something was up. Nor had I smiled at him either.

"I just need some air" I replied shrugging.

**I don't know if this is any good :L. So please let me know if you want me to carry on. **


	6. Chapter 6

_**Sorry I haven't updated sooner. I've been away, so I hand wrote some stuff and I hope you like it. If you do please review. A simple it was good will make me swoon so please, be nice and give me a review.**_

_**P.S All criticism welcome.**_

* * *

**Maebh's P.O.V **

"I didn't think you'd come" I was perched on a rock in a pair of denim shorts and one of his Captain America t-shirt, it comforted me when I was upset and angry – it just reminded me of him. The rock was rough and sore but I could barely feel it – my heart pounded against my chest, I glanced at my watch every minute. I saw a figure at the entrance of the cave. It was just a silhouette but I already knew it was Phil. I smiled slightly.

"Of course I was going to come" He walked into the cave squinting. "Why did you do that? What did you do, you know, after you left?" I winced. It had been six weeks but I still didn't want to talk about it. The memory killed me, it had embedded itself into my skin and my heart, the look on his face as I changed, it sent poison through my veins, and it melted my muscles and paralysed me. I felt like the one person that mattered was disgusted by me.

He covered his weary eyes with sunglasses and hid his broken heart under another empty suit. He looked tired and aged – I had done this to him.

"I came down here for a few hours and I cried and I thought of you and of how much you must hate me for not telling you the truth." I paused as he sat on a rock opposite me. I felt warm and alive, my heart raced as he stared at me, his eyes tracing over my eyes, my nose, my mouth, my body. "I had a supply bag and a bike in the garage. I waited until everyone had left and I went." There was more to my story. But he smiled and scoffed. He looked into my eyes, the first time I'd seen those in what felt like an eternity.

"No, I mean, what happened with us. You didn't even say goodbye. I was alone in the office, everyone else went, but you still didn't say goodbye." I didn't know he'd seen me that day, I didn't respond. "Of course I saw you."

I said nothing.

He said nothing. "I missed you" He spoke first, breaking an sinister silence which had succumbed us. "Why didn't you say goodbye?" He was pushing me for an answer, that was what had played on his mind? The fact that I didn't say goobye? "Please." He begged, he looked up, his eyes mystified and troubled. I could feel my chest tightening – I hated that I made him like this. However, I missed this feeling; I felt like a belonged when I was around Phil. I had been lost for so long, thrown in the tough arms of the cruel daunting world. I was lost but then he found me – saved me – and everything just made sense.

"I didn't think you'd have wanted to see me because of what I am." I explained, it was poor excuse and I knew it. He knew it. Everybody knew it. I watched as my words stabbed him in the heart, his manner and appearance changed, he became cold and aggressive – work Phil, not my Phil. The Phil I loved.

"Because of what you are!" He raised his eyebrow and his voice quickly followed suit. My cheeks burned in anger and frustration. How could I have been so stupid?

"I'm a monster." I bellowed back at him. It echoed through the cave causing the birds outside to shoot into the dimming sky. He put his hand on my face and rubbed my cheek, his cold coarse skin was like an antidote to me. It freed me from my anger, just his touch could save me. Control me. He leant into me and told me I was beautiful. I swooned as my mind relived everything that had happened between us, the way he always looked at me, his smile, his perfection – but more importantly his imperfection. Love is about being able to accept a person's perfections and love them for their imperfection. Just like he loved me.

"I can't believe you think that because you're different I would stop loving you." He shouted causing me to wince. We were getting too loud. Fury has hearing like a hawk, he'd hear sooner or later. I placed my finger on his lips and smiled. "I can't stop loving you. I've waited every night for the past six weeks. Every night I've waited for you." He budged over to my rock and slid his hand under mine, his thumb caressing my skin softly. I closed my eyes.

"I don't know what to do know" I sighed. "I want to be with you. But Fury wants my head on a spike." I joked. He kissed my cheek in an attempt to cheer me up. "Please, stop trying to distract me." I warned him. He smiled and looked away briefly. A burst of laughter jumped out from within him. "This isn't funny!" I couldn't help but laugh, his laugh so perfect – so contagious.

"I'm sorry!" He kissed my cheek again.

"So what do I do?" We sat in blissful silence for a moment.

He placed his other arm around me and pulled me into him tightly. "I'll get Fury down here unarmed and we'll talk to him." He kissed my cheek again. "Together." He whispered in my ear. "I love you." He told me, I could feel him looking at me. I smiled at him.

"I love you too." I told him.

For a while we just lay in the damp sand and I told him about my travels and he told me what had gone on since I had left. He told me that my brother was fine and was now good friends with him. He told me it wasn't fault, what happened that night. In return, I told him about my trip to Paris, riding my motorbike through France, I told him about how peaceful Europe was. For hours we sat and just talked. His hands wrapped around me, he occasionally leaned in to kiss my forehead. We watched the sun go down and we said out goodnights. He kissed me softly on the forehead. We weren't perfect or the way we were before but how could we be? But it was a start, he still wanted to be with me. He walked backwards smiling at me until he had to turn around to go.

* * *

"What is this?" Fury screamed at Phil. "How long has she been here? Coulson, you had better explain yourself, right now." He ordered. I stood up and walked over to them and glared at Fury in the eye. His body tense and his gaze cautious as he watched me close the distance between us.

"He has nothing to explain to you." I spat at him. "It is I who has some explaining to do." He said nothing. "My brother pushed me over the line. You know I have total control over my emotions. My brother threatened the safety of Agents Coulson, Barton and Romanoff that night. If I hadn't have changed he would've killed them anyway like he did the last three. Oh and the three before that. I didn't want to see more men slaughtered. I ran from the scene because I didn't want to harm anyone. I bit my brothers collar bone so that he couldn't do any damage to anyone but I knew it would heal perfectly within a few weeks. In fact, I saved lives that night" Fury was speechless. Coulson smirked but when Fury turned to face him, he pulled an extremely well rehearsed poker face. He held out his hand and of course, I immediately took it. "That's what I thought." I glanced at Coulson, who gazed lovingly at me – I had never seen him like that.

"Back to work then?" He asked me.

"No." My response shocked both men and with good reason. "Let me explain. I'm going to take the cure Dr. Banner offered me. But I will be staying on Midgr—Earth, I will be staying with Coulson."

"How?" Both men said in unison.

"You will see." I smirked.

* * *

"Dr. Banner if you would kindly give the remedy to Maebh." Fury walked into the room with great presence striking fear into all who were present. Banner nodded and skulked over to a metal container, once opened contained a needle containing a purple serum which he subsequently handed to me.

I ran out onto the balcony and over onto the rocks clambering my way up them to the highest one I could. The others watched eagerly from the lab. I held my arm up into the sky. The sky went from cloudless and fine to torrential rain within seconds. He was coming. My father was coming. The ground trembled with his presence as he slammed down to the ground. I jumped down after him.

"Father!" My brother ran forward, he was thrown and evil glare. He stood down hiding cowardly behind Agent Romanoff, his eyes darkened and his jaw hardened.

"Maebh take that cure and come home" He begged. I smiled at him. He was a pompous old man who favoured himself Godly. His sword draped over his back callously clinging to his armour, his ostentatious robes flowing to his ankles. His hair tied back into a pony tail, hidden beneath his robes. His piercing blue eyes gazing down at me.

"No father, you always told me when I was a child that I had to find my purpose and you told me I never am a true child of Frey until found my purpose. I have found my purpose father. I'm needed here. On Earth. For my research. For the good of the planet." I respected my father enough to know that he would not bow down easily.

"NO." His voice bellowed sending ripples and waves through the river. "You are my daughter, you cannot give up your rights."

"With all due respect father, you took those rights from me when I was exiled with no just cause." I looked around and scoffed. "You know, my entire childhood was spent finding ways of trying to impress you. But nothing worked. You took my whole life away from me. Alfheim is no longer my home, this realm, these people are my family." He roared an echoing destructive and cataclysmic roar.

The sky was ripped and the sudden appearance of thunder sent shivers down my spine but more importantly my fathers. Phil walked over to me and whispered in my ear "I thought you might need some help" Another ground shattering God appeared before us. His hammer clenched tightly into his hand. My father kneeled; as did I. However, Phil walked up to him casually.

"Thanks for coming" He shook his hand and backed off.

"Maebh" He spoke with purpose and authority. "You love this planet, correct?"

"Yes"

"And you love this man, correct?" I smiled at Coulson that was answer enough for him.

"With all due respect Thor you cannot just decide what happens on Alfheim!" My father roared at him but he failed to make as much of an impact as before. Thor turned to face him, his face as set as stone.

"I think we both know I can." My father drew his sword, the windswept around us, I could feel his anger, it burned within me. Thor roared with laughter. "You dare challenge me? Son of Odin?" I turned to face the mortals.

"I suggest you stand back and I suggest you move quickly." I instructed, they shuffled backwards slowly, they'd have moved quicker if they weren't so intrigued. My father made the first strike but was beaten back by a smack to the face by Thor's hammer. Thor picked up my father from the floor and smashed him into the concrete, shattering the concrete. "Oh what now?" I whined as a rocket quickly beamed towards up. As it approached I realised what it was; Tony Stark. When Thor saw Iron Man, my father managed to strike a deadly blow smashing him to the ground. Captain America arrived with Jane, Darcy and Erik in a Stark Car. Starks face lit up once he saw Thor smashed into the ground. Once Thor clambered to his feet and swung his hammer quickly smashing through my father's swords, he gave him a final blow to the head. He dropped his hammer to ground, and picked up my father. "No!" I begged. "Please, he may an ass but he's still my father."

My father grabbed my brother by the collar and within a few seconds he was gone. Phil held me in his arms, he rested his head against mine.

"Right I should go, I just wanted to see the fight. Oh and Pepper wanted to invite you to Christmas – with us, yeah I don't know, just go with it." He shrugged and saluted. I grabbed his arm.

"You might want to wait a second." I winked. He huffed and folded his arms. "Bruce, there is no way I'm going to be able to put that needle in myself, so one of you if going to have to do it fo—"

"Uh, excuse me, why will I want to see this?" Stark questioned.

"It's going to modify my genes, my bone structure and muscle, I'll be writhing in pain for the next five minutes" Stark took the needle and jammed it into arm. My body started shaking and my muscles gave way, Phil broke my fall, holding me in his arms. I was writhing in pain, I could feel myself changing. My vision went blurry but I could see everybody gathering around me until the pain became unbearable and my body gave in.


	7. Chapter 7

**This will be my, it all cools down chapter **

"What is it about Tony that puts you on edge?" I questioned him, fixing his tie for him. He rolled his shoulders and coughed nervously. "Come on, tell me?" I gave him my best puppy eyes.

"He's a constant security threat. He has the inability to behave, even if it's just for second" He sounded like work Phil. I smiled.

"Phil, this is a social call. You don't need to worry about him." I soothed, I ran my fingers through his hair, and I stared into his eyes in an attempt to calm him down. I grabbed his hand. "Now, can we please go inside, we've been standing outside this gate for half an hour now?" I begged, bouncing gently off the tip of my toes. He laughed gently and shook his head.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend Christmas as just the two of us. I mean it is our first Christmas together." He was trying to find ways out of it. He was such a big baby at times. It was cute.

"Phil" I looked into his eyes, he knew I wanted to do this, he just wasn't too sure he wanted to. "Are you embarrassed of me?" I questioned him, immediately he stepped back and pretended that it hurt or maybe even he was a little disgusted.

"No. I'm embarrassed of Tony Stark."

"Now that makes sense." It made total sense. There was a slight pause. "Please can we go inside now?" I was beginning to shiver in the cold. Snow blanketed the street and children ran past, their clothes drenched, their hair frozen but they still played blissfully in the winters snow. Icicles hung dripping from street lamps, lit up by the bright lights.

"I'm sorry. Come on then" We walked side by side and hand in hand up the steps. "JARVIS, which floor is everybody on?" Phil twitched nervously. It made me giggle, I suppressed it quickly and glanced nervously at the ground. "I'm glad my nervousness amuses you." He whispered softly into my ear, his words sent waves of excitement down my spine.

"Top suite sir." The AI responded.

"Then that's where we shall go" Phil commanded. The elevator journey up felt like a long one but before the doors were even open I could hear laughing, cheering and music. It was relaxing, something I hadn't heard in a long time. I gave his hand one more quick squeeze of reassurance. The doors to paradise opened.

I hadn't seen everybody since I had gone into the recovery ward at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, I had writhed in pain for weeks in an attempt to become what Phil wanted – needed. I wanted to give him some normality in his cataclysmically exciting life. He needed normality when he came home. I wanted to be that normality.

"How does it feel to be _normal_?" Tony teased, I couldn't help but smile he wore no top just a pair of grey baggy track suit bottoms that hung from his hips. "Not 100% true Tony, I'm still a demi – god, ergo, I can still kick your ass."Phil was dragged away from me by Pepper and Jane. I felt confused and alone without his comforting hand guiding me through. Thor guffawed and glided over to us.

"Let me know when the fight is to be" He announced. "I would very much like to see Tony thrown about like a rag doll." He laughed and threw his arm around me. "You'll be fine, normal isn't so bad." Everybody present nodded in agreement. Thor had worn "mortal" clothing only twice in his life, the first was when he was exiled here, on earth, the second was this night. He wore a navy t-shirt, outlining his clear and defined muscle and a pair of almost too tight jeans.

"Right that's great coming from a man who heavily relies on a suit made of iron, a demi – god with the most powerful weapon in the universe, a man with – how did you put it Tony? – Breathtaking anger management issues" I saw Bruce chuckle slightly out of the corner of my eyes, he was the only one who hadn't dressed down, however, his purple shirt was loosely done up and his black shoes had been removed. His hand locked though Darcy's, who stood at his side, with her hand on his stomach, she stared at me with an affectionate smile. "Two master assassins who I have never seen show much emotion, a super soldier and a man with an eye patch." Nick Fury stood up suddenly; it was a strange site, as he was in jeans and an AC/DC t-shirt. Bruce must've noticed the expression on my face because he chuckled and whispered "I know it's like looking at Elmo with no hair" I chuckled as I watched Fury most intently.

"The woman has a point" He announced as he headed towards the drink counter. I parked myself in the nearest chair and observed what could only be described as the _strangest _group of friends on the planet attempting to converse. What a dreadful site. There was a sudden change in song to one of my favourites; Something Good Can Work – Two Door Cinema Club. The girls were pushing Phil towards me.

"Uh... do you want to dance?" He scratched the back of his head. I put my hand out and everybody cheered. He pulled me in close, I could feel him breathing on my neck, his steady breaths relaxed me, we swayed back and forth, even though Tony and Clint danced around like some completely camp gay couple. It was just me and him, for this dance at least. My eyes locked in his, the rest just blurred around us. His hand slid around the curve of my back, supporting me. "I told you it would be fine" He joked. I pulled my head back from my shoulder and raised an eye brow at him; he stole a kiss from me, sliding his hand down to below my waist. This time it was an intense passionate kiss, I felt him slip his tongue into my mouth, deepening an already intense kiss; I didn't stop him, I didn't want to.

"Is that what they were telling you to do over there?" I questioned him as we continued to dance.

"Yes. Why? Was it too soon?" He started to panic. "Was it bad? Oh God, you didn't like it did you?" I kissed his cheek and nibbled at his ear slightly, his breathing became ragged as I did so.

"It's about time." For the remainder of the song we danced in silence just enjoying the simplicity of being in each other's company.

"We should all probably get settled in." Tony announced looking around at the aray of couples. Me and Phil. Pepper and he. Clint and Natasha. Thor and Jane. Darcy and Bruce. Fury. "Maebh and Phil – you get the big bedroom just down there." He winked at me. "Quite a bouncy mattress – I thought you'd like it." Pepper jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, still smiling at me. "What!" He moaned. "You never know, she might like the jumping on beds." Pepper kissed him on the cheek and whispered something sexily into his ear, his expression melted and his face brightened.

"So when did Darcy and Bruce get together?" I asked turning around to face Phil. He picked me up and carried me through the door, gazing at me intently, ignoring my question.

He reached in and kissed me again running his hand down my back and squeezing my bum; we fell on the bed and laughed. I quickly took off his tie and jacket, I switched the positions in one quick move, I now lay on top of him unbuttoning his shirt. "God, I've been waiting so long for you to do this" He laughed.

"Sorry about the wait." He apologised. I kissed him again; he ran his fingers through my chestnut hair, his eyes scanning me as I peeled his shirt off his chest revealing a toned chest. I watched his breathing quicken as his hand reached around my waist.

Pulling my lips to his chest, his breathing became rugged with each kiss. One, two, three, four kisses – each long and tender along his soft skin. I sat up on top of him, as he ripped my top over my head, he ran his hands softly down the sides of my skin, sending shocks through my body. As I fiddled with his belt buckle, his hands found mine as he guided me slowly through the movement. He slid quickly out of his trousers – no underwear; interesting – He pulled off my shorts abruptly,

"Don't ever apologise for being a gentlemen." I kissed him quickly before continuing. "But for once, don't be the gentlemen." I rested my elbows on the bed, our bodies touching, our eyes locked. A mischievous grin haunted his face as he knocked my balance, pushing me underneath him. I felt him hardening, as he kissed my neck. He looked up into my eyes, wanting, asking and needing permission from me. I nodded slightly.

I felt him inside me, a small groan escaping my lips as he pulled back. I bit my lip in an attempt to control my excitement and enjoyment.

"I'd like to bite that lip." He whispered into my ear as he picked up his speed. Faster and faster. His breathing grew harsher, barely escaping from within him. Another groan slips through my lips making him move faster within me. He bent down and kissed me deeply, passionately once more but when he pulled away, he softly nibbled at my lip. His jaw hardened. A few short breaths escaped from between his lips once more. He pulled out from within me – leaving me feeling empty. "Sit on my lap. I want to savour this – you." He explained as he sat up.

I did as I was told, never loosing the focus of his gaze, he grins at me pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. His cold skin cools the surface of my flustered and aggravated cheek. "You mean so much to me – you always will. No matter what you do." I wrapped my legs around his waist, as he stood up. With a sharp grunt and a satisfied grin, he pounded into me – hard – I clung to him with my legs. His hard placed against the cold rugged wall. "Oh, Maebh." He groaned coarsely into my ear.

My whole body felt like it was on fire, he made me feel so alive. I was so hungry – for him; to have him inside me, to please him, to love him. I felt myself getting close. A strange sensation filled my veins, my muscles began to tense around him, he felt it. I watched him grin as I breathed heavily onto him. "Let go Maebh. Go on." He coaxed.

I felt myself explode around him. His release followed shortly as we collapsed onto the bed in a pile of exhausted and totally satisfied mess. A short laugh escaped from within him as I rested my head on his chest. "I love you." He breathed, trying to regain his normality.

* * *

"What are thinking of?" Phil questioned as I lay cuddling into him, drawing circles on his chest with my finger, he had is arms wrapped tightly around me as we lay together. His breath hit my hair and slid down my spine comforting me .

"I would love to say what we just did but – not that it wasn't magical because it was but – and it great but" I spluttered causing him to sigh. Why could I never just savour a good moment? I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift elsewhere. A surge of guilt swam through my blood clasping onto me tightly.

"Maebh, tell me what's on your mind." I flipped up into a sitting position, my legs perched up in front of me, I rested my chin upon my right knee and let out a long exasperated sigh.

"I'm just thinking that my father gave up much too easy. He would never do that and it scares me to think he might be planning something and I'm not strong enough to stop him" I explained turning hysterical. "And I'm scared" I felt his arms wrap around me quickly, his large muscles masking me and protecting me.

"Was the sex _that_ bad?" Tony was standing in the door way laughing. He was leaned casually against the door frame casually with on leg tucked behind the other; in his boxers, his body dripping in sweat – each bead slipping over his defined body. I eyed curiously. Well, we know what he and Pepper got up to last night.

"Go put some clothes on Stark." Phil growled and with which Tony sauntered out leaving the door open. A gust of cold air flew into the room, I peered out of the door, nobody moved – not yet. _What time is it?_ "We need to tell the others" He jumped up suddenly, shoving on his trousers and a shirt, fumbling nervously with the buttons. I jumped up quickly behind him, grabbing his hand and pulling him back as headed for the door. He stumbled down the steps slightly – I had caught him by surprise.

"Not today" I begged him. "Please, not today. It's Christmas. We'll tell the other tomorrow, we'll deal with it, just please not today" I think he could there was a hint of desperation in my voice because he pulled me into his chest telling me everything would be okay today. We rocked back and forth, his arms wrapped around me. I wanted to reach up and play with his hair but his arms had locked me into a dangerously tight hug.

We sat in the living room, as a group, as a family watching the snow fall whilst the fire blazed from the fire place heating up the room. We exchanged presents; Tony gave everyone fancy pieces of useless technology and completely the opposite of that, Steve gave everyone a vinyl record from the 30's which he thought would be perfect for everyone; he was right, I love mine and so did Phil. It was like a family Christmas –a slightly dysfunctional and unusual family, yes – but still a family, something I hadn't experienced in a long time.

The day flew by, we danced to the vinyl's whilst Tony got drunk, it was funny Pepper was not only his girlfriend but his mother and his nanny at the same time, whilst everyone was begging Tony to stop drinking and go to sleep, I snuck out onto the balcony, slumped to the floor and dangled my legs off the edge. The snow was cold on my legs as it soaked through my jeans and it burnt the bare skin on my hands whenever it came in contact to it. I looked out at New York.

The city was white and the sky was lit up by what appeared to be thousands of stars. I could Christmas lights and trees in windows, happy families and couples. People –children mainly - playing in the street, throwing snowballs at one another. It made me feel warm and cosy inside because I knew, I had finally found my home. The searing cold slid beneath my ugg boots, hugging my toes tightly.

"You feel it too don't you?" Thor had crept up behind me, he was sitting on the bench, I wonder how long he'd been there, more importantly, I wondered how long I'd been sitting outside. I knew what he meant.

"He gave up too easily. He would never have given up; you would've had to kill him." I huffed, throwing my legs onto the balcony, so I could turn around to face him. "I don't like this."

"Nor I but what is there to be done?" He questioned me. I threw my head onto my hands; I began to watch my breath. Truth is, I had no idea what was to be done, I could be killed now and injuries could not be healed so easily. I could do nothing, not really. I didn't even know what he was planning. But I knew it was good. I feel so weak, so vulnerable.

"I don't know" I stood up and kicked the snow; it fell straight off the balcony. "I'm useless now, I'm vulnerable and I'm just as weak as a mortal. I have no idea what to do."

"You're not weak; you are technically of Asgard not of Alfheim." He exclaimed, placing his hand onto my shoulder. I hadn't even realised he had stood up. I'm of Asgard? What? No, no, that can't be right? Could it?

"Since when?" I shouted.

"You're father was sent by mine to rule over Alfheim but both your mother and your father are of Asgard. Did he never tell you this?" My jaw dropped. My head thumped and the whole world began to spin and flip around me.

"Yes, this is the face of someone who knew that!" He grinned at me and I laughed rubbing my forehead. "But still, I have neither weapon nor any valid training." I stated but I was basically pointing out the obvious. His fist flung toward my face with incredulous speed, in reaction I found my own hand on top of his flipping his arm around his back, refraining him from moving. _What the..?_

"You have the spirit and the blood of an Asgardian. I'm already impressed." His speech boomed and echoed throughout my head... _Asgardian blood. Me_. "I would gladly take you home, to Asgard and have you trained to be one of the very best Asgardians who ever walked this planet." I would have willingly accepted this offer, taken it up in a heartbeat but it would mean being away from Phil, again, I couldn't do that to him, he's waited so long to be with me and if I left now, I would be messing him around. "We need to talk with your father, reason with him but we need to find what he is doing at the same time and for that, I need you." He explained after I said nothing. "Now, are you with me?" I knew what I had to do.

"Yes. I'm with you." I paused, that wasn't what I was going to say. "I always felt like I never belonged on Alfheim, now I know why."

"You lived there originally but your father left with you and your brother leaving your mother behind." He placed his arm around my solider. "You were an excellent friend. I have missed you. This is good."He pulled me into a snug and friendly hug.

"I don't remember."

"You wouldn't."  
"Why not?" I demanded. His eyes searched through mine as if he longingly searched for something.

"You would have been trained not to." He stated. "You were friends with both me and the warriors three. We all loved you dearly. But you will learn all of this with time. Come with me to Asgard, we can help you rediscover all that stolen from you."

"Yes. Of course." He held out his hand and I instantly took it. We headed back indoors.

* * *

"I know you have to go." Phil held my hands against his chest. "I just wish you didn't have to."

"Me neither. But I need to know the truth." I felt as if I was alone with him, but we stood in a room filled with strangers.

"Whatever happens in Asgard, no matter what you do or what you learn just know that I forgive you." He kissed me upon the lips softly before turning away – retreating to Fury's side. A faint smile crossed his lips. _He forgives me? For what?_

* * *

Phil's P.O.V

"You should have told her" I screamed at Fury in front of everyone. I didn't care – they all knew anyway.

"It's not our business."

"She had a right to know." I ran my fingers through my head. So many thoughts swam around my head.

"What happens now, happens, it's destiny and your feelings for her are irrelevant. That's an order. Your love for her is a distant memory. That's an order." Fury turned and stormed away. I stood alone – stranded, lost and confused.

**Don't forget to review!**


	8. Chapter 8

The shimmering city of Asgard; home to the God's and the bravest of warriors; we were welcomed with gloomy stares and suspicious looks. Our apparel was none to award, making us stand out like a snowman in a woolly pink hat in the centre of the scorching Sahara. Brightly coloured stalls filled the lower districts dirty cobbled roads - stalls upon stalls selling everything from fantastically flamboyant gowns to succulent delicacies of Asgard. My eyes drifted from person to person who glared with familiarity at me, a few nods of appreciation and a few mischievous grins were exchanged as we wandered coolly through the streets. A sense of knowing and belonging washed through me, I knew these streets. I knew this city. I knew its streets and its people. But I don't remember any of it.

The glimmering golden buildings loomed over us, shadowing the streets into an eerie darkness shaded faces filled the alleys; shaded faces each with a unique story and their mind-sets; more dangerous than the most deadly of assassins. Hooded and cloaked, they leer in the shadows, faces masked in darkness and despair but the whites of their eyes piercing my own.

The atmosphere within the palace walls, however, was a little less hostile.

"Thor!" A crowd of battle suited men and rather courageous – or perhaps rather stupid – woman shot towards us with great haste, smiles of joy and contentment etched upon their faces. "It is good to see you return" bellowed a stout man, a long curly ginger haired beard hung from his chin and many years of war outlined clearly upon his skin. Lurking in the shadows was a man of considerable valour but appeared to be in a never ending state of unrequited depression. The woman was both cheery and dark – her hair long and flowing, perfectly arranged. She was a fearsome height to behold. The fourth was a most distracting man with a flawless face – smile; perfect and his eyes glimmered lightly, they were the bluest of blue. For a moment (which is long enough) I felt like I had known them my entire life. A strange feeling of unity and belonging –

"Maebh," Thor cast his cool gaze upon me and with considerable force flung his arm around me. My other companions hurried off down through the hallowed palace halls. "Lady Sif and the warriors three."

"How well do you dual Lady Maebh?"

"Well enough." My mischievous grin tempted him closer. He stood close enough, that I was sure he would hear my heart skip and flip out of beat. His left fist headed for my cheek, I reacted by grabbing it and flipped it around his back. His teeth clenched and his jaw followed suit, the pain spread through his body, I watched his body shake in fear and pain. I could brake him, I could control him – make him dance for me. I flung him away from me. His eyes glowed in the rage and thrill of battle. I dodged a few more of his fatal punches, hitting me once, I groaned out in pain. The ground hardened the blow and as my back crushed into the ground. He slipped his arm around my back sitting me up.

"You used to be a lot stronger than that." He mocked, concerned flooded his eyes. A small pain filled laugh slipped from between my lips. With a groan of tantalising pain, I scrambled nervously to my feet – his arm remained around my waist. Thor and the other warriors watched us, amused and confused. Fandral gave each of them a look of frustration as a long painful silence sauntered through the room. They left.

We were alone. He sat upon the wall and stared away from me. When he fixated his gaze back upon me, I felt almost naked and flustered – why did he make me feel so nervous – so useless. "You don't remember me do you?" His voice was sullen and low as I joined him on the wall.

I gave no answer.

"You were the first girl I ever loved." He continued, laughing lightly. His laugh beat the sweetest of melodies and the most delicate beautiful summer tunes. "You used to sit on the beach with me on summer evening and watch the sun go down." Phil, I do that with Phil. It makes me feel safe, secure... loved. "I never told you how I felt, of course. I mean you were...beautiful and I... well, I wasn't. It killed me when you left for Alfheim. I mean, you never even said goodbye. Do you know what hurts the most?"

I gave no answer.

"You don't remember. I can't believe you don't remember me." He laughed softly again, gazing adoringly at me. "I _never_ forgot you." I could feel his agony, his sorrow. His eyes told me a most magnificent tale.

"I don't remember anything from before Alfheim. Thor believes I've been made to forget." I coax him; I wanted him to feel better. I wanted him to share his wondrous blinding smile with the world once more.

"It doesn't matter. I have things to attend to." He spoke roughly before excusing himself and began leaving abruptly.

"But I do see you." I called after him stopping him in his tracks, a few paces before the door. "I see you sometimes, in my dreams. I may not remember you but I know you." He carried on going, this silence, this echoing silence made me shudder to my core. How could he affect me? But how could I affect him so?

Oh God.

Phil.

* * *

"I feel like I've cheated on Phil but I haven't even touched Fandral." I moaned to Thor. He gazed intently at me. "It's like my entire life has been a lie." He laughed acutely and expectedly at me. "I'm glad you find my confusion so funny." I bellowed, listening to it echo through the halls.

"I'm sorry. But I've missed you so!" He pulled me into yet another one of his walloping hugs. "We all mourned for you when you left – "

"I didn't die!"

"No I know but you didn't have to go. You were one of us and we would have cared for you here. We all loved you that much."A comforting cool hand stroked my cheek affectionately. "Some more than others mind you." His booming laugh stormed through the corridor hastily.

"Did I even know he had feelings for me?"

"Oh, yes, you did at the time!" He smirked wickedly whilst he watched my face droop. I sunk down into my chair as I attempted to remember – nothing. "But don't worry, you loved him also."

"I see him in my dreams sometimes. He just smiles at me. It makes me so – so happy, so alive. It kills me when I wake up. It started when I was a teenager and he grew up along with me. I thought he was just a dream. Then I found Phil and I fell in love and I love – loved him. But now I just don't know. " I buried my head in my hands. "—Why does everything always need to be so difficult?"

* * *

An almighty feast was laid out before us, on a table that shined brighter than the sun and a banquet fit for kings laid out upon it. Hoggun grimly sat on my left – he said nothing. A sullen Fandral sat on my right; he stared uneasily at the food before him but touched nothing.

I reached my hand under the table to find his; I fumbled softly –romantically – with his fingers. Increased heart rate, butterflies and electric shocks swum within me with every touch. _What am I doing? _A smile crept upon his face as he clasped onto my hand beneath the table.

I didn't look up; I stared at his hand drawing circles around my thumb. I could feel him gazing down at me.

* * *

"I don't know what went on between us then," I spluttered and locked his fingers. We were sat on the same wall we were sat on last night. The sun was sitting sleepily in the sky, it began to fall and the moon wanted to dance through the sky – it wanted to out shine the sun. "And I don't care." He listened intently to me; I couldn't look up into his eyes. I would just crumble and forget that I was doing something wrong. "I thought I was in love on Earth. I was. Am. I don't know. God – I'm so confused!" He pulled me into his chest in one quick sweep. His hand slipped around my waist, his brooding muscles warmed me to my core, and he held me tight. _Why does this feel so right?_

"I've waited so long for you. I can wait a little longer." He kissed my hair, it lasted a life time, his soft lips upon me. I don't know how long we stood there, every once and while he hugged me even tighter, kissing the top of my head softly and sweetly.

"From what I've heard around Asgard, you're arrogant and you are a womaniser." I pulled back a little so I could glance at him, a smiled etched upon my face.

"I was lost without you. So, I had to do something with my time when you were gone." He smirked down at me with his arms still locked around me, pulling my hips against him. I could feel how excited he was.

"I should go." I looked away and fled speedily from the crime.

I should feel guilty about Phil – I'm betraying his trust... but I don't feel guilty. The night sky succumbed Asgard finally, as I found myself wandering aimlessly to the beach alone. The stars were incandescently beautiful hanging sweetly in the gloomy night sky. Before I left for Asgard, Phil told me he forgave me for everything I did here. Does he know about Fandral? How did he know?

A figure appeared from the darkness with haste, as he drew nearer, his face became known and my butterflies returned, catapulting themselves around my stomach with inoculating speed. Fandral's cloak flung behind him in the wind, his hair ruffled and his once perfect eyes tortured with pain.

"I...uh... I just wanted to check you were well. You left me with great haste earlier." As I moved towards him, he watched me intently. My small hands grasped as much of his neck as they could pulling him closer to me. "The mortal. What about him?"

"Shut up – for one minute. Please?" I begged, leaning in to kiss him.

* * *

It had been a week since I had first kissed Fandral and not once have I regretted it. He's a perfect gentlemen, I had never felt so loved. The way he looked at me – I felt special. Every girl deserves to feel like that.

"I don't understand why I'm attracted to you." I sighed, it hit the cold air and valiantly fought but ultimately died a warriors death – like everything on Asgard.

"Well it's sort of written in the stars." I lay in his lap on the beach, his legs wrapped by my sides and his arms around my waist. His head brushed softly against my cheek.

"What?"

"Well the mortals call it mythology but it's the same thing." I felt the blood ooze to my cheeks, my skin turned snowy white and the world span uncontrollably around me. The stars laughed menacingly and the ground which had once kept me steady, slipped away from me.

"My life has already been written?" No attempt was made to hide the panic which had lunged into me and consumed me whole.

"It can be rewritten; if you didn't love me more than the mortal."

"Is that why you love me? Because you have to?"

"No!"

"I need some space, time. I need to go to Earth" I walked away from him sullenly, the wet sand sunk into my shoes as I stormed awkwardly away. I felt empty as I walked away, I was betraying Phil and I needed to see him, to have him hold me and have him tell me everything would be okay.

"Home?" He questioned, I dug my hands deep within my pockets.

"YES HOME!"

I didn't turn back to face him.


	9. Chapter 9

**So i get my GSCE results this week, so i'm really nervous. So i'll be writin quite a bit to take my mind off it!**

**So enjoy and don't forget to favourite, follow and review. Please.**

**Thank you to cinefila who has reviewed 3 times and stuck with story from the beginning so thank you!**

** - Aitherrs**

Phil Coulson P.O.V

"I can't promise you... beautiful ball gowns or an extravagant lifestyle. In fact, I'm not even sure what I have to offer you." I couldn't find the right thing to say or the right way to fight for her. She came back screaming and shouting. At least I've calmed her down now – sort of – I mean, she's still incredibly aggravated and awkward. She tries to be nonchalant but I can tell through the deep mystery in her eyes and the empty smile she forces.

"Nicely put." She mocked, giggling lightly.

"What I'm trying to say, if anything, is that he can give you everything in the universe and I can't. But I think, if you stayed here, I could really fall for you and if you stay here with me, I spend the rest of my days trying to make you as happy as you make me." She licked her lips slowly and looked up at me, biting her lip.

"I don't need you to compete with him. It's just difficult knowing that I'm _supposed_ to be with him."

"You don't have to be." My arms snaked around her waist pulling my hips to hers. I nuzzled his nose down into her hair, I rocked us gently back and forth – her scent slipped through my nose, it was like a poison gliding through my veins. She pulled back away from but our hips were still pressing together.

"I'm still pissed at you for not telling me."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow playfully at her, she pressed her lips softly against mine, my hand slipped up and through her hair, gently holding her face to mine.

"Okay, now, I'm a little less mad." She bit her lip as her eyes bore into mine. It drives me crazy when she bites her lip, I could feel the blood in my veins heating and rising to my cheeks. We were in Bruce's lab and I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate us having hot sex all over his lab experiments. I walked her backwards, my body still pushed against hers to the bench behind us. I kissed her neck slowly and seductively. "I'm sure Bruce wouldn't appreciate the mess." She pushed me away softly.

Our recent discussion was interrupted by the sound of muffled screaming and gun shot from just down the corridor. I pushed her behind me, pulling a gun from the back of my trousers. I pointed it at the door, trying to hold back my fear.

"Its okay baby," I soothed. "I won't let anything happen to you." She stood by my side, and she wasn't scared. She was excited and thrilled by the prospect of danger. I loved that about her. A tall man stormed down the corridor and violently ripped off the door of the room, he ducked as he walked through. His hair was long and blonde – tied back – and his armour clung tightly to his chest. He looked vaguely familiar.

"Aedan!" She stepped in front of me – blocking me. "What are you doing?" She demanded, the muscles in her body began to tense one by one.

"Look Maebh, I'm sorry but either you come with me, now, or I have to kill him." His hand was thrown into the air at me.

"You don't have to do anything." She spat back at him.

"If I don't, he'll exile me again. I can't... I can't do that."

"I'm not going with you." She pushed me back, flinging me at the wall.

"Very well then." Aedan smirked as he lunged at me quickly; she grabbed him by the shoulders flinging him across the lab. My eyes blacked out slightly, but when light smashed everything darkened. I couldn't see, and I knew that they couldn't see anything either but muffled groans, punches and smashing glasses boomed through my ears.

Silence.

A shadow slid towards me – a knife in hand, I knew it was too tall to be Maebh. What happened. Where was she? I slid to my feet, all feeling in my foot had been destroyed and a numbing pain succumbed me. An incomprehensible rip thumped into me and my blood seeped from my body. The shadow had gone and I slid down onto the floor, the darkness loomed over me taking me as its latest victim.

* * *

Maebh's P.O.V

Oh god. "Phil wake up!" I screamed his stone body in my arms, I rocked gently back and forth. I had my back slumped against one of the benches. Tears seeped down my cheeks. "Phil!" I begged, placing sweet kisses upon his cool forehead. Natasha Romanoff ran into the room, followed by a sea of other suits. She pulled him from my arms and he was gone. I couldn't see the tears blinded me. An arm guided me out of the room, several sets of eyes following me all the way down the cold and dark halls.

Phil. I need Phil – this was all my fault.

* * *

I sat with him for a week – watching him as he lay there, completely lifeless and helpless. His face slightly bruised and the scar on his chest gaped open slightly. I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, I didn't do anything but sit with him. Different people came and went every day, each and everyone one of them hoping he would regain consciousness. He told me not to run from him ever. I didn't need to. But now I knew that I had to – when I was around him, he would only ever get injured. I couldn't do this to him anymore it was fair.

* * *

I hadn't seen Coulson in six months now. I returned to Earth by choice, it was my home now, not Asgard, not Alfheim. It all seemed one big haze the events on Asgard and the few weeks back on Earth. He drove a dagger through him. I could still hear his scream; I could still feel his agony.

That's when I knew.

I knew that I would stay on earth but now with them. I now consider myself exiled – from Phil – if I hadn't have been so egocentric, Phil would not have stayed with me in the lab that day, he would not have been injured so appallingly, so dire and it was my fault. Whenever he was around me nothing good ever happened, I clung onto him because I wanted to and I never considered the effect it would have on others, on him. When I returned to Stark Tower, I gathered my things and I did what I'm best at, I ran. I ran as far as I could. I was still a monster, I was still selfish and he needed the chance to find someone who wouldn't hurt him as much as I hurt him.

Six months, I have travelled. Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, London, Chicago, never stopping for more than a week; being alone was the only thing that could protect me as I ran.

It was after six months that I returned to New York, to the coffee shop, where we had first kissed, where I had told him my secrets – almost all of my secrets anyway. I was greeted with the swift embrace of an old friendly face, she seated me at the back, it was tranquil and quiet within these walls at all times. Before I could consumed by my thoughts, a coffee was presented in front of me. Someone sat into the chair opposite me. He wore a purple shit – Bruce.

"It wasn't your fault you know." I looked up at him, he saw the pain in my eyes, tears filled them – my eyes were red and lines had etched into my skin beneath them; I hadn't slept in months. He hadn't changed; it was good to see a familiar face. "Why don't you come back? He misses you." He put his hand on mine, his rough boyish hand heated up my cold skin. I licked my damaged lips slightly.

"It was my fault. He will get over me. I can't keep doing this to him. Whenever I was around he just got hurt –"My eyes went down to the coffee, I watched it sit peacefully in the mug.

"You leaving him for the_ second time _hurt him more than the wound he sustained." He informed me, freeing my hand – he leant back into his chair, his eyes focused on me. I had no response; I couldn't find the right words. "You look terrible." He laughed and so did I. "Come on, at least come say hi to him. He really misses you. He waits for you. He cries all the time. He's like woman emotionally." I laughed, my broken laugh.

"I can't. It's not fair to him." I knew deep down he was right. I knew running would hurt him but I needed to give him a chance to get over me.

"Oh and by the way Fandral arrived on Earth. He's gone now, he came to see you, caused big argument between him and Phil." I shook my head at the thought. I loved Phil but Fandral would have slaughtered him. "Come." And for some reason I can't explain, I nodded and followed him out the door.

"How did you know I was in here?" I questioned him as he waited for me to slip into my jacket. He shrugged and told me he recognised my bike. Without another thought, I found myself driving to Stark tower.


	10. Chapter 10

I hope he'd see me and realise how much he doesn't need me. I hope he'd hate me and he wouldn't want to see me. But what if I saw him and realised I wanted him – this worried me more. I knew I still loved him and seeing he wouldn't be the greatest idea, it would bring back feelings that I have been doing my best to conceal. My arm was hitched through Bruce's arm as he guided me through the tower; his strong grip would stop me from backing out. I had my helmet secured safely under my other arm under my other arm. Bruce had always been a good friend to me, always there when you needed him, even if our introduction was less than composed and my behaviour was unforgivably rude. Afterwards, he just seemed to connect, with a shared passion for science. He saved me numerous times on Alfheim as well. That mission would have failed without him. People say that he's just a bitter monster – Captain America is the super hero. I disagree. I would say that Banner is as much a hero as the Captain; more courageous than me, stronger than Thor, more intelligent than Tony and more noble than even Phil. It pains me that people don't see what's behind the monster, they don't see Bruce, they don't see his kind and loving nature.

I pondered over what to say to them in silence as the elevator began to ascend, where to beging, how to explain why I left, would they event want to see me? When tThe elevator doors opened, several sets of eyes stared at me in a mixture of shock and contentment. Peppers arms were the first to be flung around my neck. I hadn't seen her in the room when I entered. My arm was freed from Bruce and quickly placed on the back of Pepper.

"Stop running." She whispered into my ear, Tony took her hand and winked at me, his face as perfectly pristine as ever. I continued to walk, down the steps into the main rom. I looked at each of them, with a grin on my face. Bruce, Tony, Pepper, Clint and Natasha, whose hands were intertwined within each others, my heart skipped a beat when my eyes found his. His beautiful brown eyes. He looked hurt; perhaps he wouldn't want me. I couldn't look away; he looked as tired as me.

"We ordered a pizza." Clint said smiling at me. "I'm sure there will be enough for you to have some as well. You look like you haven't eaten in a while." He smirked; Natasha whacked him in the ribs, making me laugh.

"Where have you been?" Pepper questioned me sincerely; Tony had his head rested on her shoulder both of them glaring at me intently. The others followed their lead and it went eerily quiet. I laughed. I sat down and explained my travels to them, all the things I had seen, all the things I had done. I wanted to make it seem like I hadn't spent days on end thinking about them. I wanted to make it seem as if I had been alright. The pizza had arrived mid story but even when eating, their attention was focused on me. The occasional kiss between couples was exchanged. Drinks were passed around and I realised I was home. I shouldn't have left. I couldn't take my eyes off Phil most of the time, he stared at two things, the sky and his feet, alternating from time to time. Not one look at me or the others. Everybody asked questions and told stories, everyone but him. He sat there and didn't eat. His mind was absent from this room.

Everybody parted in the early hours of the morning, I sat on the sofa and stared out of the window.

"You, you... you don't just get to come back and act like it never happened!" I turned around suddenly to see Phil standing there staring at me, his eyes fixed on my face. When I didn't speak he scoffed. "The others are happy to pretend but I'm not. The others told me that you needed time and space to think. But I thought we'd already done this" His voice raised and his tone as cold as ice.

"I...I" I spluttered, before I mustered up the courage and the correct words, Phil began again:

"Why did you run? I needed you here and you ran. I don't understand you. I don't understand what you want." His jaw tightened, his eyes red. He sighed and looked away. "I thought you loved me." He looked at my shoes. He couldn't bring himself to look up at me. "Do you realise that you hurt me more when you're not around. It hurts more to know that you're too scared to stick around. I would get stabbed a thousand times over to protect you. I'm trying to love you and care for you. Why won't you let me? It's like you just don't love me anymore. I mean we never actually said it but I thought we didn't need to. But apparently those feelings weren't real anyway." The desperation in his eyes sent shivers down my spine, I could actually feel the pain he had experienced, the anguish, the self loathing. He blamed himself for me running away but it was my fault. I had never let anyone close enough to care and anyone who tried to get close to me I pushed them away, not only did I push them away, I ran away. As far as I could. So when I let Phil close I panicked and he cared about me and he took the knife for me and that scared me. I had never stayed around this long and before I liked it but now it was all different. I wanted to be there for him, I wanted to stick around in New York and just wake up with him by my side every morning and fall asleep with him next to me every night. I wanted a _normal life._

"I did love you and that's why I left. I was the reason you got hurt. I wasn't strong enough to protect you." I stammered. It was hard to keep composure. He looked up at me.

"It isn't your responsibility to look after me and you are not the reason I was stabbed." I scoffed at him, taking a few steps forward. "You need to stop running when things get difficult. It's not the way it works. You should've stayed." He whispered under his breath.

"What if my best isn't good enough for you?" I questioned him. We were standing centimetres apart from one another now, we had moved subconsciously closer to one another.

"Not good enough for me? Of course, you were! You were everything I ever wanted." He ran his hand through his hand, resting it on his neck at the end, the hurt never left his arm, and with every word I spoke it grew stronger. Nothing was said for a few minutes, I just stared into his eyes.

"I promise you, it was never you fault." His voice softened. "Stop trying to protect me and let me look after you because I know I can. Stop running from me. This would be fine, everything would be fine. If you would just let us try."

"I can't do normal life, I – I just can't" I murmured. He put his hand around me and pulled me in.

"Then forget it. Go to Fandral, he'll give you everything you ever wanted. I'll see you only when I need to – for work. I'll leave you alone from now on." And he was gone. Not another word was said. Even though this had been the most placid thing he had said to me tonight, it was these words that broke my heart the most – he'd given up.

I was alone. Standing all alone in the dark, a tear escaped from my eye and made its way down my cheek. I had never felt so alone.

I lay on the sofa and closed my eyes. How simple would it be for me to run out the door now, with nothing but my pyjamas and a pair of socks on, to chase him down the road in the rain and kiss him passionately and tell him how I felt, to have him hold me close to him, telling me everything would be alright; like it is in the movies. But movies are nothing but lies; I'm going to have the cold harshness of reality.

**Phil's P.O.V**

I replayed it over and over in my head – the way she looked when I said to forget it. She thought I had given up on her, if there was any chance of us being together now they had evaporated when I opened my mouth. I couldn't bring myself to go back and talk to her, in fear of shouting at her again. I couldn't do that to her. Time – is what we both needed here.

Of course, I still love her but she just keeps running away, as if it doesn't matter. As if it doesn't break my heart every time she leaves me – twice, it's happened now. She wasn't there for me when I needed her and I'm not going to let her just pretend like it never happened, it did. I thought we were fine, I thought she loved me. She doesn't need to protect me; I do a good job of protecting myself. I wanted to go to Alfheim. I wanted to impress her. I wanted to make her think I was a hero – not a coward.

I wandered the streets in the rain, people ran by protecting their hair and makeup with their coats. I never understood why people don't like rain. I like the feeling when it touches your skin. I like to walk through the streets in the rain; everything becomes quiet, the streets, and the shops. I like to sit on a bench and listen to the rain fall.

I walked in the rain for hours but no matter which way I turned, or which direction I walked, I always ended up at Stark tower, standing in the door way, wanting to go in. So many times, my hand turned the door handle and with a sigh turning and walk away. Why does she have to make everything so difficult? I was doing fine on my own until she came along.

My father always told me, that one day the perfect woman would come along and open up my eyes and everything would become perfectly clear. But so far things have been covered in the clouds of deceit and a lack of trust. I loved her still but it didn't seem like it was returned – at least not as much as I loved her and it killed me. The feeling of not being loved as much as you love them, it's like someone has reached into your chest stolen your heart, played with it a little and gotten bored, so they put it back. Pretending that they hadn't stolen and broken it.

* * *

**Maebh's P.O.V**

I wandered aimlessly through the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters searching for a familiar face, just one, someone to talk to or even share a cup of coffee with. But it had all changed so much since I had last been in there. Not the building of course but the people, the atmosphere.

'_The last time I was in here'_ I thought to myself '_was before I had even started work with S.H.I.E.L.D before I had ever even met Phil..._' my mind began to wander off, I missed Phil; more than anything. But he made his opinion of me very clear. I realised that I had no clue where I was walking now; my feet were just guiding me through the building whilst my mind contemplated a simpler time.

I noticed a set familiar faces walking towards me slowly, two of which looked content in seeing me in S.H.I.E.L.D, whereas, the other looked as if he resented my presence entirely. The awkwardness of the situation that was about to occur if I didn't move quickly was unbearable. I noticed a lab, very dark and quiet – a simple solution to a difficult problem. In one swift movement I slid through the lab door and leant my head against it with a sigh.

A head appeared from underneath one of the lab benches; a pair of nerdy circular glasses resting on the tip of his nose; an expression of alarm fixed on his face.

"Are you okay?" He questioned me, walking towards me with caution. I slipped down to the floor with my back supported against the door and buried my head into my hands as my cold tears seeped through my clothing. I could feel his breath against my neck as he bent down in front of me. I felt his arms reach out around my neck, in response I threw my arms around him, my head nestling snugly into his chest, one of his hands was placed softly on my back and the other was running through my hair. I felt safe now, in his arms. "Is this about Phil?" I couldn't muster the right words or the correct way to tell him how I felt about what was going on with Phil. My response was a simple nod as my head fell further and further into my chest. For a while we just sat in silence, it was nice feeling, having someone holding me, after I have been alone for so long.

After a while, I pulled back and threw my head against the wall – but I didn't speak.

"This is so messed up" I began, as I cleared the tears from my eyes with my knuckles. His eyes fixed intently on me. "I love him but I can't muster up the courage to look up at him and any time he sees me, he looks at me with pain and resentment. It breaks my heart us being like this." A few more tears escaped and slipped down my cheeks, the warm thumb of Bruce wiped them off my cheek; he put his hand under my chin and held it up.

"He may seem like he doesn't love you but trust me he does. He comes in here often and the conversation always ends up about you and he can _never_ say a bad word about you." He smiled sympathetically at me. We went back to silence – I couldn't believe him, it didn't seem like he even noticed me anymore.

For the next few days I watched Bruce work in his lab, he didn't mind. In fact, I think he liked the company. Nobody else ever came into his lab – either out of fear or hatred but I liked his company, he was sweet and he listened. Two days went by and I saw nothing of Phil and it was blissful.

"Is Maebh in here?" I had ducked behind the counter, crawling on my hands and knees I headed towards Bruce's office. Phil had come into the lab not a moment ago. Bruce smiled and replied that I was in here. I jumped to my feet quickly and sighed out of relief.

"Found it!" I proclaimed holding up my watch, I smiled slightly and I sent a monstrous glare to Bruce who did nothing but laugh.

"I'm hungry, so I'm going to go get some lunch." He announced as he headed towards the door. I watched him casually place his hand on Phil's shoulder, out of support and comfort before he left and headed down the corridor, I followed him with my eyes for a time before reluctantly glancing at Phil.

"Look." He began. "I'm sorry for how I have been acting, I don't hate you. I don't know what's going on. I thought I had gotten over you but then you came back and now I just can't stop thinking about you. I'm trying _really hard_ to hate you and be angry with you but I just can't."

"I..." I started but he held his hand up to stop me quickly.

"Please don't say it." He pleaded as he looked up through his brow at me. "If you say then I'll say it back and I don't know if I want to." We stood in silence for a moment; I didn't dare to look up at him but I felt his eyes piercing my skin, it burnt more and more with every second he looked at me. After a while, I heard his footsteps come towards me, his shadow covered over me. "Can I try something?" I looked up at him confused. What was he going to do? One of his hands brushed the side of my cheek and the other was gently placed on my back.

He leant in, I felt his breath on my cheek, and it felt like an eternity of waiting, waiting for him to grace my lips with his. He finally placed his lips on mine, his grip on my back tightened. For a second everything just slowed down, time, everybody else around us, it was just me and him. When his grip loosened once again, I knew he was pulling away from it. "Just as I thought." He said with an endearing smile. He turned around to walk away – on impulse I grabbed his hand and pulled him in close to me. I kissed him again but this time the kiss was different. It was intense and passionate. He had one hand again on my back but the other was running through my hair – my arms wrapped around his neck pulling him close.

I feel his fingertips glide down my spine to my bum as he gracefully picked me up and placed me on the lab bench. He slowly undid my shirt – it dropped onto the bench and my bra quickly followed. He placed small warm kissed on my skin – my cheek, my neck, my shoulder. His warm rough hand thrown around my back as he kissed my breasts; I fiddled with the buttons on his shirt, letting out quiet moans as he kissed my skin. As soon as his shirt came off, his trousers and pants followed.

"You sure..." He breathed into my ear. "In here, now?" He stared into my eyes, I responded with a passionate deep kiss. He picked me up off the bench holding me up in his arms, I rested my head on his shoulder. I begin to the feel his weight within me; I let out a small gasp as he moved faster and faster. Our skin touching; he kissed me passionately for a short while, he groaned into my mouth. He grinded his teeth together, his hands around me pulling me close to him. He started to inhale and exhale rapidly and violently telling me he was close. He let out one long and final exhale as he released himself inside me; I bit my lip as I enjoyed the feeling of him inside me. He put me down and pushed me gently against the counter, he kissed me intensely as he helped me reach my climax, I let myself go, enjoying how he had made me feel. He held me in his arms for a moment – recuperating from the passionate sex. "I love you." He whispered into my ear. The first time he had said it to me, and it was like melted chocolate on strawberries. The words slipped from his tongue and glazed through mybody, sending shocks through my body.

We got dressed quickly as we realised where we were. He held me in his arms for a few minutes my head on his chest, I listened to his heart beat, I felt his breath on my back and neck. There it was again – the feeling of safety. "I have to go back to work." He said reluctantly and he backed away to the door but still he stared into my eyes. He stood at the door for a while – smiling at me, savouring the way I stared at him.

"It's fine." I said as I smiled at him before resorting to bite my lip. "And Phil, I love you too." He disappeared down the corridor fixing his tie. I sat down in my chair and fiddled with my hair as I thought of him.

Shortly afterwards Bruce came back sipping a cup of coffee. He noticed the smile and came over to me. I hugged him quickly and let out a small laugh, I was so happy.

"I told you." Was the only thing Bruce said to me.

**Getting loads of views and no reviews! Please review :(! Thanks to anyone who had read it!**


	11. Chapter 11

Don't forget to review! One chapter left after this one! Hope you enjoy!

"We really should stop having sex in laboratories and offices. It's not good for us." I giggled; it was light- hearted and girly. I fixed his tie as he gazed down at me. The office floor was covered in a sea of white papers and pens scattered at sea. I sat on his desk, his hips pressed against the table in front of me. His tie hung around his neck unevenly, and the top button of his shirt undone.

"You're probably right." He leaned in, pausing by my ear. "But it is fun." He emphasised the fun as he bit the tip of my ear slightly. My heart rate started to rise and all the blood rushed with speed ran to my cheeks. He laughed softly as he looked forward and stared back into my eyes.

_I swept down the corridor with elegance smiling brightly at those I knew before sliding into Phil's office. I was quiet so he hadn't notice until I wrapped my arms around his firm waist. He sighed lightly, fumbling with the papers in hand. His eyes were taunted and tortured. His jacket had been folded neatly onto the table and his thin white shirt's sleeves rolled up neatly to his elbows. I flipped around to face me, placing my hands on my face. His skin warmed my cool skin – and as his eyes bore into mine, I felt him ease up in my arms. It was bliss to know I could calm him so quickly. With just a glance. A look. A moment of rare passion. _

"_What can I do to ease this strange abominable pain you're suffering." I asked him sweetly biting my newly polished lip softly. He picked me up and my legs entangled themselves around him. I was on the table and his lips grazed the corners of mine. _

"What are you thinking about?" He questioned as he searched my eyes with his own.

"How the bloody hell this happened!" I whispered back to him, he told me that my radiant beauty made it impossible to resist. I wanted to decline this sweet compliment but my lips refused to budge beyond a smile.

"COULSON!" _Shit. Fury ._I fell off the table and slipped out of the office quickly like a young child who had been found stealing from the cookie jar. A long empty corridor was stretched out in front of me. I hid behind the open door listening intently to what Fury barks at Phil. "Why is your entire office on the floor?"

"The air conditioning blew it off." I couldn't see them talking, a door concealed me from the outside but I knew that Phil would be desperately attempting to hold back a devilish grin which ate onto his lips. Then a rather unexpected thing happened – Fury laughed, it was an unnatural and unforgiving bark of a laugh. I hated it. Unnatural. His sweep as he left the room left an uneasy stir of deception in the air, his sweep gave the appearance of anger and resentment when in fact, this, was a mask. I slipped my head around the door.

"I'll let you get back to it; wouldn't want to get you in any more trouble." I winked at him with a wolfish grin which he politely returned. I hurried off down the corridor before he made me change my appearance and decision.

* * *

"I missed you today." Phil sat by me, my legs thrown over his, both of us snuggled under a thin blanket.

"I was with you for most of the morning." I leaned closer to him and whispered "Or have you forgotten?" I teased, he whipped his head round to face my, I loved his eyes – they were a pastel blue colour but they currently hid gallantly behind his dilated pupils. He smacked his lips together quickly.

"I don't think I'll ever forget."

"Alright, love birds!" Tony bounded through the room flopping onto the white leather sofa next to us, grinning madly. I watched as his eyes flicked between Phil and me. I really need to get my own place. Now that I was back in New York, I was staying in Stark Tower which meant comfort, food and no privacy. The bedroom was nice – the was larger than the flat I used to own and the soft cotton duvet wiped gently across my skin as I slept – it kept me cool and comfortable, in fact, I don't think I had ever been so comfortable. A new set of revealing clothes had been bought for me for evening occasions, stark parties, that sort of thing. The kitchen was always fully stocked – most with pot noodles – but always stocked. The lounge was cosy and inviting – so that lack of privacy didn't bother me; I was comfortable. Phil on the other hand, hated Stark, he hated that we had no privacy, grumbling every night before bed about him. It was cute, really.

"Hi, Tony," I chirped "what are you doing back so early?" I gave him a suspicious glance, as his grin grew larger and his confidence grew boastful. Before he could answer, Coulson's page beeped violently.

"God damn it, it's Fury. I'm on call tonight – I wonder what he wants." As his voice trailed off, his warm body slipped away from mine opening up the tormented gap between the cold and uninviting world and me. He fixed his tie which had been fashionably loosened. "Bye honey, I'm so sorry. I'll see you later tonight, hopefully." I nodded sweetly, attempting desperately to maintain composure and hide to delusion of disappointed hopes.

"Bye handsome!" Tony called after him, he didn't look back at him though, he focused his eyes on me. Once the elevator doors were shut, he was asking questions at an alarming rate, he was onto us like white on rice. "So, things are going well?" I nodded. That was just the start. "Things good in the bedroom?" I nodded. "Not giving much away, are you?" I nodded. "Oh, come one, please, pretty please, just a few details." I sighed and gave a quick short meaningless nod. "Okay, so, how good is he in bed?"

"Tony!" I protested.

"Oh come on, tell me!"  
"Fine he's great!" I sarcastically threw both thumbs at him and laughed softly at the ridiculousness of this entire conversation.

"And how often do you do it?" He smiled creepily as he slipped onto the sofa beside me.

"Normally, once a day, sometimes less, sometimes more." I bit my lip as I remembered the incident in his office this morning.

* * *

"Hey." Phil threw his arms around my shoulder pulling me into him. I didn't look at him. I continued to gaze longingly across the hustling bustling streets of New York city. "Why are you still up?" He kissed my cheek softly. It was gone midnight, at least, I think it is, could be later, could be earlier.

"My love, I have tried with all my being  
to grasp a form comparable to thine own,  
but nothing seems worthy;

I know now why Shakespeare could not  
compare his love to a summer's day.  
It would be a crime to denounce the beauty  
of such a creature as thee,  
to simply cast away the precision  
God had placed in forging you.

Each facet of your being  
whether it physical or spiritual  
is an ensnarement  
from which there is no release.  
But I do not wish release.  
I wish to stay entrapped forever.  
With you for all eternity.  
Our hearts, always as one."

"That was beautiful," his lips grazed my frozen cheek once more. "Did you write that?" He questioned me, I felt his gaze heating and burning my skin.

"No." I laughed. "I wish I did. It's called 'An Entrapment' By Anthony Kolos. My father read it to me a couple of times when my brother and I were young. Fandral reminded me of the poem. But when I think of it; I can only think of you."

"Good. I'm glad." He breathed between each soft kiss he planted upon my jaw line. His bent down and picked me up with great ease and carried me inside to the bedroom. "But this is something that I have needed to do since you left my office this morning." I giggled, it was girlish and over the top – I hated it.

* * *

"Do we have to go to this stupid thing?" Coulson moaned as he pulled his jacket up to his shoulder with a loquacious grimace and an apocalyptic stare. I smiled sweetly at him. "I'd much rather stay here and spend my evening alone with you." He grinned menacingly as his hands reached down and cupped my bum; he pulled my hips against his.

"Someone likes the dress." I winked at him. "But we do have to go. So hurry up." I shooed him off and into my unbearable heels – a 'gift' from Tony. He skulked off into the bathroom. God I wanted him so badly right now. I hate having to resist having him tear this delicate dress from my skin.

* * *

Thor carried Coulson over his shoulder, back into Stark Tower and to my bed. He was a perfect gentlemen, Thor, he offered his services when I he noticed I had no idea what to do with Phil. He drank as many free drinks as he could, to waste Stark's money and to pass the time quicker. I was strong but I'm still just a young woman, and Phil – he's quite heavy.

"Good evening, Maebh. Have a good night. Don't forget – you will always be welcome on Asgard." He smiled apologetically before leaving me alone to deal with a very drunk and grouchy Phil. He flipped over onto his side and his tongue dangled out of his open mouth as he drifted off into a deep Coulson sleep.

"Oh, for God's sake Phil!" I moaned as I pulled the blanket out from underneath him and throwing it over his almost lifeless body.

I sat on my bed with a note pad and wrote everything down that I wanted to say but I couldn't. He may have the emotional capability of a woman but I had one of a man and it wasn't good but I can't help it. I watched him drift into a peaceful sleep and settled down next to him, resting my head against his back softly as I listened to him breathe slowly.


	12. Chapter 12

Coulson stumbled out of the bedroom still dressed scruffily from last night. He looks an absolute mess.

"Morning sunshine." I shout loudly knowing that it will rack through his brain and as the words came out from my mouth, he's flinched and each and every muscle in his body tensed beyond compare.

"God," He started as he rubbed the back of his neck rhythmically. "What happened last night?" He stared woefully at me, his eyes demanding an answer, a revelation.

"You don't remember any of it?" He sat down on the stool across from the bar where I had sat all night with a pint of milk and a good book. I couldn't sleep, he snored too loudly, it was too hot, then too cold, then my mind wanders – the list was endless.

"No."

"So, you don't remember what you said to me last night. Actually it wasn't so much what you said, it was more what you insisted upon" He shook his head but stopped brashly, I fear, it was because the pain washed around his head, leaving branches of poisonous waste in his troubled but beautiful mind. "You said you wanted to give all of this up," I flung my arms around emphasising that I was referring to the apartment before continuing. "That you just wanted to travel - just me and you." I watched him carefully, his face remained neutral and uncaring. His tie had disappeared – he must have taken it off during the night or this morning. He glanced up at me quickly through his sweaty brow.

"Oh." _Oh?_ Was that really all he was going to say about last night? I felt my phone beep twice in my pocket.

_Come in to S.H.I. _

_Fury needs you and Coulson. _

_NR x_

I put my phone on the counter and stared at Coulson, willing this peculiarly needless conversation to go on. It was obvious he didn't need or want to give up his job – S.H.I.E.L.D was and is everything he has, it wouldn't be fair or right of me to ask that of him. My phone beeped again.

_NOW_

_NR x_

I shook my head when nothing was said or done.

"Come on," I slid down the hardwood floored steps towards the bedroom. I couldn't ask him to give it up – I mean we didn't even live together yet. I still lived in Stark Tower – the land of comfy chairs and no privacy. "Fury needs us." When he didn't move, I went back and grabbed his hand pulling him away from the chair and the conversation. "Now."

Nothing was said in the car. Nothing was said whilst walking through the S.H.I.E.L.D corridors. Nothing was said.

We found Fury pacing in a swarm of rage and torment. He was watched by several pairs of protruding and exasperated eyes and regarded with apprehension by many others. His long leather jacket trailed sleepily behind him. A look of permanent alarm had consumed him body and soul.

"Good. Maebh. Coulson." He regarded us with warm civility but his mind clearly wandered elsewhere. "I'll get right to it. Several hydra weapons were taken from a secure base in New Mexico; we've traced them to an underground facility a few miles west of New York. Infiltrate the base – get the weapons back."

"Well, what do you need me for?" It's a simple infiltrate and retrieve mission, blind monkeys could do this.

"Of course it's heavily protected down there. You'll be outmanned and outgunned so we need you to undo the affects of your cure and lend us hand with the men." He shrugged turning to face the opposite way.

"You're fucking kidding me right?" I laughed hysterically. "because if you're serious, you're fucking crazy! I can't do that!"

"That was not a request!" He ordered brashly, he moved toward me – towering over me. A sinister grin snuck upon his mysterious infrastructure.

"Why don't you get Banner to go? He'll do more damage and cause more of distraction." I suggested; I really don't want to do this. It's not fair that I have to do everything he wants. I promised myself I would never go back to the way I was.

"We're not sure if he can even control himself when he 'hulks out'" The conversation had cooled down. I knew I had to do this – for Phil's sake, if not my own. I held out my hand with a gracious grin. He accepted it.

"First thing tomorrow morning; so go home and get some rest." We left, one again, in silence.

* * *

"So, I was thinking," Phil stopped gazing pointlessly at the television he wasn't even watching to stare at me as he spoke. His day off had consisted of us eating junk food and watching pathetic movies – sweet blissfulness. "Maybe after this mission we are on this weekend, we quit and we have a normal life; A proper one - one without danger of death and murderers and aliens. It could be good for us, and you did say you wanted one."

"Are you sure?" My jaw flopped and dropped – I couldn't stop it. He was offering to give it all up for me. "I mean, you _love_ your job. Any idiot can see that." He tightened his grip around me reassuringly.

"I love you more than my job. What do I have to do to prove this to you?" His head rested on top of mine and sighed lightly.

"I just don't want you to do this because I want it. Only do this if you want to."

"I want to." When I looked up at him, he just shrugged at me simply.

"What about the pact of silence you gave me earlier?" I smirked without looking up at him.

"I was just thinking about us. I want to do this for us." He rubbed my arm softly.

"But we don't even live together yet." I stood up exasperated and paced across the room.

"And we will," He followed me to the steps on the other side of the lounge. "But we need some space. Some normality, if we even stand a chance in the real world."

"You've thought about our future?" I glared at him, he had his eyes closed and had started desperately rubbing his neck.

I didn't say anything else, I couldn't think of the right thing to say and neither could he. I kissed him softly on his velvety heaven lips; his hand pushed me towards him as he deepened the kiss; exploring the furthest reaches of my mouth with his tongue. He flipped us so that he was on top of me; one of his legs between both of mine, his hand grasped my hair lightly. When I attempted to flip us back, so that I was on top of him – so that I was the one with all the power, the one with all cards – we thudded violently to the floor. I was now on top of him. He laughed softly before he placed his lips back onto mine.

* * *

We hid behind a series of metal desk, papers flying through the room and a cloud of smoke and a rush of adrenaline spiked through my veins. Captain America fought valiantly in front of us. A ripping sensation dug through my side, blood dripped down my side, and a mind numbing sensation attacked me coldly. Coulson bent by my side, panic in his eyes. The firing didn't stop.

"I thought you couldn't get wounded easily whilst in that form." He shouted at me. I spluttered and I felt the pain again, I groaned.

"I can't! I don't know what they're firing but they are not average bullets." The firing never stopped – it shattered through my brain. "Right, pass me that gun there." I pointed to a Steyr TMP that hid in the shadows just behind Coulson.

"No! You're injured you can't continue fighting." I kissed him softly on the lips and smiled sweetly at him. The gun was plopped in my lap, I leant my back against the wall.

"Now go get your guns." I leant over the table. With a smile, I fired relentlessly back at them. Within almost seconds, Coulson returned to my side with a soft kiss on my cheek. An ecstasy of eternal silence fell throughout the room.

We ran down the silenced halls, papers and bodies scattered around the place, pools of blood, pain and anguish remained nearby until we had reached the elevator. A sigh of reprieve escaped from within my dried and bloodied lips. A passionate kiss was shared, his tongue enjoy the sweet sensations of my mouth. The lift was hung on a dangerously thin copper wire and had been darkened beyond compare. An eerie silence hung in the air. I had to break it. "You know that thing you said about a normal life?"

"Yeah?" He gazed down at me.

"Let's not do that!" I laughed witlessly, his laugh followed suit. Steve had his back leant against the back wall.

"I love you." He threw his arm around my waist pulling me against him, his tongue explore my mouth for the second time. I knew then that I could deal with everything crazy that went on around here - we're okay.

**And that's it from this story. Thanks if you've read it! And thanks for reviews, follows and favourites!**

**A. x**


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